At Least We Made It This Far
by Kaia Milligan
Summary: Nova was a Princess on the run. Ash Ketchum was a Trainer looking for adventure. When their paths cross, they had no idea what would happen next.
1. Chapter 1

_"You don't give up. And then one day, you just change. We all change."_ -Carol Peletier; **The Walking Dead**

* * *

Nova sat in the family garden, watching the Pokémon play. She'd always loved seeing them have fun, not having to worry about anything. Occasionally, Nova would play with a few of the younger Pokémon, but that was very rare. Seeing them interact with _each_ _other_ — _that_ was something that was truly captivating.

"Princess?" Nova's head turned slightly, she could hear footsteps accompanying the voice. Someone was walking down the pathway before cutting off into the shrubbery. "Princess!"

"I'm over here."

Appearing out of the bushes and trees was Nova's maid, Livia. Livia had been an old family friend of Nova's since before she was born. Despite her age, Livia had a liveliness to her that others found very refreshing, admirable even. Not only that, but Livia took her position seriously. Whenever Nova's parents were away, Livia took care of their daughter, treating her as if she were her own.

When Livia saw Nova, sitting on the ground, she huffed, putting her hands on her hips. "Do you know how long I've been _looking_ for you?" she said, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Probably a while." A small, apologetic smile came across the Princess' face.

"Yes," Livia exclaimed. "A _while_. Your parents are worried sick; they thought something _happened_ to you."

Rolling her eyes, Nova let out a sigh. Her parents, King Erik and Queen Diana, were overprotective at best, and while Nova found that to be irritating, she knew that her parents had the best intentions. "Where could I _possibly_ go?" Nova exclaimed, standing up. "The guards would've told them what I was doing before I even left the gates."

"They've got good reasons to." Livia's voice became serious, her expression becoming a little bit more somber.

"Why's that?"

Walking over to the Princess, Livia wrapped her arm around Nova's shoulders, bringing her close to her side. "Just. . . .unsettling things," she sighed. "You shouldn't be worrying about it."

"I'm the _Princess_ , Liv," Nova sighed. "One day I'll _have_ to worry about it. And if I don't know what's going on. . . ."

"Then you shouldn't know," Livia interrupted. "Your parents are looking out for your best interest. OK?"

Pursing her lips, Nova nodded wordlessly.

 **. . . .**

The remainder of the day had gone on in a very uneventful fashion. Nova's parents had her doing her daily routines, while the Princess' mind was reeling on Livia's words. To Nova, not knowing what was going on in the kingdom was something that bothered her. One day, Nova would be Queen, and if her parents kept her isolated from every problem that arose, how would she an effective Queen?

When night came, Nova got herself cleaned up and changed into her pajamas. She had been sitting in her bedroom for the past couple minutes, sitting on the edge of her bed. In the corner of her room, her Pichu slept on its specially made bed. Pichu had been a gift from her parents when she turned ten. It had been a couple years since then, and since Nova wasn't really allowed outside the front gates of the royal estate, she never really had the opportunity to train her Pokémon. But that didn't mean there wasn't some kind of bond between the two. Most days, Pichu seemed to enjoy spending time with the wild Pokémon that lived on the estate, other times it would be seen perched on the Princess' shoulders as she went about her day.

The two were practically inseparable a majority of the time.

Smiling softly, Nova's gaze went away from Pichu. Laying down on her bed, Nova let out a sigh. Looking at the ceiling of her room, Nova studied the little patterns that decorated it. She'd seen those patterns countless times before, studied them even. But that didn't seem to help distract Nova at all. Her thoughts went back to what she and Livia had briefly discussed earlier. Livia knew something, and it bothered Nova intensely. What was so bad that she couldn't know what it was? Why didn't anyone trust her enough to tell her? Whatever the reason, it didn't settle well in Nova's opinion.

But, as the night progressed, exhaustion soon came over Nova, and she fell asleep.

 **. . . .**

It was late into the night—or, early in the morning, depending on how one looked at it—when Nova was awoken. She had been shaken borderline violently; and by the time she opened her eyes, she didn't even have time to comprehend what was going on before being dragged out of bed.

"Here, take this," a hushed voice said. A satchel was shoved into Nova's arms. "We need to go, hurry up."

Blinking the bleariness out of Nova's eyes, she tried to take in the person in her room, but they had already turned around, as if to avoid being seen. Quickly pulling up the collar of the shirt they wore, one of their hands shot out and grabbed Nova's wrist, yanking her to hurriedly follow behind them.

"Wait!" Nova tried yanking herself free. "Who are you? Where's Pichu?"

"The satchel."

The satchel in Nova's grasp moved, causing the Princess to look down at it for the briefest moment. Pichu's head popped out, looking just as confused—possibly frightened, even—as Nova would have guessed.

"Who are you?" Nova exclaimed, holding the satchel closer to her.

" _Quiet_." The response was harsh, making Nova flinch involuntarily. "I was instructed by Miss Livia to get you outside the front gates safely."

"Livia?" Nova stammered. "What's wrong with Livia? Where is she? What's going on?"

The two stopped for a moment, and that was when the person turned around. It was a young boy, probably just a couple years older than Nova herself. His light blonde hair was styled neatly, and by the way he was dressed, Nova knew he was a worker for her family. His expression let Nova know just how serious the situation was, but that didn't stop him from giving a brief explanation.

"There's trouble," he stammered. "A _lot_ of trouble. The people are starting to riot, they're trying to break in."

Paling significantly, Nova swallowed thickly. "R-Rioting?" she stammered. "What. . . .? I don't understand. . . ."

The boy bit his bottom lip anxiously. "I have to get you to safety, Princess," he said quietly. "Miss Livia wanted it done. She's staying with your parents. Please, it's important that we go now."

 _'Miss Livia wanted it done.'_ That hung in Nova's mind for a moment before the boy grabbed her wrist and tugged her behind him. The people were rioting outside, and _Livia_ was the only one concerned about Nova's safety? Her parents weren't? Nova's parents were always so protective of her, wanting to know where she was at all times. So. . . .if things were going as badly as she'd been told, why weren't they at all worried?

Grabbing her hand, the boy dragged her behind him, both of them trying to hurriedly leave.

"What about my parents?" Nova exclaimed. "What'll happen to them?"

"I take it Miss Livia will keep them safe," the boy exclaimed. "But you're my priority, Princess. _You_ need to go."

As they hurried through hallway after hallway, a feeling of dread rushed through Nova's body. "Where am I supposed to go?" she stammered.

"As far from here as possible."

 _I'm supposed to just hide?_ she thought anxiously. _There's an uprising, and I'm just supposed to hide?_

"I understand this doesn't make any sense," the boy exclaimed, his grip on her wrist seeming to tighten. "But you must know that this is for your own good! _Your_ safety, _your_ wellbeing—that's what's important."

When they reached the end of one of the hallways, the boy pressed something on the wall, causing a small opening to appear. Nova stood there for a moment, holding onto the satchel tightly; Pichu's head popped out, looking around anxiously. It was in that moment that Nova heard faint footsteps coming from somewhere.

The boy quickly looked down the hallway, a grimace coming on his face. "Princess, you need to go," he murmured, motioning her to the opening. Before she even had a chance to say anything, the boy shoved her through the opening.

Nova didn't even have time to react before the opening closed.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I can understand if you find this first chapter bad. This is the first _Pok_ _émon_ story I've written, so please bear with me, OK? If you've got any suggestions on the story at all, don't hesitate to let me know!**

 _ **Pokémon**_ **doesn't belong to me.**

 **I hope you all had a wonderful New Year!**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	2. Chapter 2

_"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light."_ -Albus Dumbledore; **Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban**

* * *

Nova stood there for a moment, almost frozen in spot. It was too dark for her to see, so even if she _wanted_ to get out, she wouldn't have any idea where she was going. But, in that moment, Nova wasn't worried about getting out. She just stood in the same spot, her muscles tense, as she tried comprehending what had happened. The boy who helped her gave her as much information as he was probably willing or able to tell. But that didn't ease up the confusion and worry that bubbled in the pit of her stomach. Was it really bad beyond the gates? Nova's blood ran cold at the thought, hoping she wouldn't have to face the rioters head-on.

After what felt like a lifetime of just _standing_ , Nova jumped when she heard Pichu from the satchel she held. She could faintly see Pichu's head poke out of the satchel, the small Pokémon glancing up at Nova worriedly.

"I'm sorry," Nova whispered, unsure on what else to say. Before either Nova or Pichu had a moment to properly react, a sound in the distance caught their attention. Tensing her muscles even more, Nova clutched the satchel tighter. A bright flash of light surrounded Nova for a moment before it dimmed to a decent amount of lighting. Blinking away the white dots in her vision, Nova slowly turned around, only to be surprised at what she saw. "An Absol?" she murmured.

The Disaster Pokémon looked at Nova intently, a light emanating from it.

"You're using Flash." It wasn't a question, rather, a statement. Absol nodded. "Does that mean you're getting us out of here?"

Nodding again, Absol turned, getting ready to leave, before looking back at the Princess. The look in Absol's eyes gave Nova the impression it was telling her to hurry up.

As they began walking, Nova took in her surroundings. She and Absol were walking down a relatively narrow passageway, and the further down they went, the older the passageway seemed to become. Water started dripping from the ceiling, making the walls and ground more slippery. Nova almost slipped a couple times. The stone walls started looking older, more uneven. Nova could see that Absol didn't seem at all bothered by the eerie condition of the passageway, as if it were used to it.

After a little while, Pichu climbed out of the satchel and latched itself onto Nova's shoulder, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon trembling as it gripped its companion tightly.

"It's OK," Nova murmured, looking at Pichu with a hint of a smile.

Pichu tried smiling in return, but it looked more like a grimace.

They continued walking in silence. Absol made sure to walk at a pace that Nova could keep up with, but still quick enough to outrun whoever may try pursuing them. Though, Nova was certain that whoever started pursuing herself and the boy didn't notice her being locked into the passageway.

"I hope everyone else managed to escape," Nova murmured, a feeling of dread washing over her. Knowing there was a riot going on made Nova's stomach lurch painfully. She hadn't even known that the kingdom was in such a bad situation. Pichu made a noise of agreement. "I bet Livia got my parents out. Don't you?"

Before the conversation could go any further, Absol managed to catch Nova's and Pichu's attention. _'_ _You're slowing down, you need to hurry up now.'_

"Sorry," Nova murmured. Matching Absol's pace, they continued their trek.

 **. . . .**

By the time they reached the end of the passageway, Nova let out a sigh of relief. It felt like _hours_ since they entered. Absol motioned to one of the stones, which Nova pressed. When Nova pressed on the stone, the wall opened, revealing an opening to the outside. It was a little into the early morning, the air chilly and bitter. Dark, heavy looking clouds were starting to gather in the sky, making Nova grimace slightly.

"Do you know where I'm supposed to go from here?" Looking at Absol, Nova hoped it at _least_ knew where she needed to go.

Nodding, Absol started walking. _'_ _This way.'_

Looking at Pichu, Nova nodded for it to go back into the satchel. "It looks like it's going to rain," she murmured. Nodding, Pichu climbed back into the satchel; Nova had it opened just enough to give her Pokémon some air.

While the Princess and the Disaster Pokémon walked—through an old, beaten path close to a stone wall—Nova noticed thick woods coming up ahead. Nova had never noticed that area before. The area seemed older, looking like it hadn't been touched by humans _or_ Pokémon in decades.

A deep rumble caused Nova to pause for just a moment. It didn't sound anything like a Pokémon—at least she _hoped_ it didn't—but it made a chill run up Nova's spine anyway. Not even a _second_ after the rumble stopped, a light rain started falling.

 _It must've been thunder, then,_ she thought, feeling relieved.

The light rain continued to fall at a relatively steady pace, showing no signs of stopping or intensifying.

The closer the wooded area got, the more anxious Nova became. Would Absol stick around to help her get through it? Or was she expected to go by herself?

"So I'm supposed to go through there?" she asked, pointing to the woods. Absol nodded. "Is that. . . .like an alternative to going through the gates?" Again Absol nodded. Nova nodded in return. "I've just never been to this part before," she murmured. "I didn't even know it existed." Absol made no acknowledgment of the statement.

Once they made it to the entrance of the woods, another round of thunder rumbled, then the rain started to fall a little heavier. It didn't bother Nova much, though she did wish she had a chance to change her clothes before leaving, even _if_ it had been so suddenly.

Nova's black hair—normally ending in thick curls at her shoulders—clung to her neck, face, and shoulders.

Absol looked over at her, waiting to get her attention, before nodding to the woods. _'Go.'_

"You're not coming with me?" Nova asked. Absol shook its head. Nodding, Nova swallowed thickly. "Well, thank you for your help, Absol."

Nodding once, the Disaster Pokémon quickly turned around and made its way back to Nova's home. Looking back at where it ran, a pang of something ran through Nova's body. It felt like a combination of guilt, regret, and uncertainty. Looking back at the wooded area, Nova shoved those feelings down. However bad things were getting, she had to get away.

At least, until she could figure out a way to stop anything from getting worse.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **After some internet problems, here's the newest chapter! I know it's a little late, but hopefully you guys could overlook that and just find something good in the chapter. Just let me know what you guys think, OK?**

 **Do I own anything in _Pokémon_? No. No I don't.**

 **If you've got ideas for subplots or OCs you'd like to have added to the story, don't hesitate to leave a review or PM me.**

 **As a reminder to all who read the author's notes, I literally** **just** **started school, so until I can find a good balance between work and school, there's a chance that updating may not be as frequent. Even though I don't update that often anyway. One thing I could do is update only on Fridays—if I get the chance to** **—since I don't have classes on Fridays. How does that sound?**

 **Let me know if there's any confusion.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	3. Chapter 3

_"She's a girl with the best intentions,_

 _He's a man of his own invention,_

 _She looked out the window,_

 _He walked out the door,_

 _But she followed him,_

 _And he said, 'Whatchu lookin' for?'"_

-Something That I Want; **by Grace Potter**

* * *

Nova walked and walked and walked. Despite the trees overhead, it didn't _completely_ help stop the rain from falling. Nova was wet, cold, tired, and desperately trying to maneuver her way through the wooded area. She was trying to keep as much composure as possible, hoping it'd be enough to get her through without much trouble. But with each step Nova took, her mind wandered back to her parents, to Livia, to the boy who helped her, to Absol. What happened to them? Had they been captured? Why was there a riot?

Shaking her head, Nova tried keeping herself focused on what she _had_ to do. Nova _had_ to get out and find a way to make things right again; she _had_ to figure something out.

Another roll of thunder echoed, causing a knot of fear to form in Nova's stomach. She was starting to _hate_ that sound.

When the satchel started moving, Nova knew it was Pichu peaking its head out. Looking down for a moment, Nova tried for her best smile. She knew that Pichu was probably just as confused and scared as she was, but Nova was trying to ease her companion's fears as much as possible.

"It's still raining pretty bad out here," she said. "I wouldn't want you getting sick." Climbing out of the satchel, Pichu climbed up Nova's arm and rested on her shoulder. "Pichu, get back in the satchel." Already, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon was getting wet from the rain falling through the branches, and despite all that, it wouldn't get off Nova's shoulder. With a sigh, she decided to not say anything more on the matter.

As Nova continued walking, she found herself becoming hyperaware of all the noises that were going on around her. Before, she was getting so distracted by her own thoughts and how she was feeling, she wasn't aware of what was going on around her. That had been _completely_ out of her mind. But the more she listened, the more she started to hear rustling in the underbrush, what sounded like the leaves overhead being moved around. Or. . . .at least that's what she _thought_.

 _You're probably just getting paranoid,_ she thought. _You'll be fine, just focus on getting out._

Trying her hardest to compose herself, Nova tried walking quicker, making sure to hurriedly avoid roots that were sticking up out of the ground or anything else she might trip on. When the sound of a bush behind her started rustling, Nova let out a frightened shriek before she started running, not even paying attention to what was going on. Was it a rioter? A wild Pokémon? If it was a wild Pokémon, was it going to attack her? She hadn't been doing anything wrong, right? All Nova had been doing was _walking_. Minding her own business. But, in that moment, since Nova hadn't been paying attention to her surroundings, she didn't give much thought to a partially curved root poking out of the ground. When her foot got caught in it, Nova completely expected to fall straight on her face, but she didn't. In fact, it didn't even feel like she was falling at all. There was a glow surrounding her that she didn't even realize was there until she allowed herself to saw it. Nova tried moving, but she found it difficult.

Once Nova was safe on her feet, she turned around, expecting to see an angry wild Pokémon, just waiting for the opportunity to attack; instead, she saw a Misdreavus looking at her curiously.

Nova's brows furrowed for a moment as she looked at it. It didn't seem to be attacking her at all, just floating there, as if it were waiting for something. "Are you here to help or is there something you need?" she asked. "Do you know the way out?"

Floating ahead of her, Misdreavus turned back to look at her for a moment, as if signaling her to follow. Even though there was a hint of uneasiness in the very depths of Nova's stomach, she followed.

 **. . . .**

As it'd turned out, Misdreavus knew the way out of the woods. It took all morning and well into the afternoon for her to get out, and by that time the rain was falling heavily. The thunder was rolling every couple minutes. At that point, Pichu hid back in the satchel, deciding getting out wasn't the best idea.

"Thank you so much for helping me!" Nova exclaimed, looking at Misdreavus.

The Ghost type Pokémon let out a pleased sound. _'You're welcome.'_

When another round of thunder echoed, Nova flinched. "Misdreavus, why don't you come with me?" she cried. "It looks bad out here, and the trees barely covered the rain." A perplexed look seemed to come across Misdreavus' face. Looking back at the wooded area, before looking back at Nova, there seemed to be a conflicted look on its face. "Do you have a family back there?" she cried. More thunder. A look swept across Misdreavus' face; it almost looked like sadness. "You can come with me if you want."

Looking at Nova closely, without so much as a warning, Misdreavus jumped into her arms, causing the Princess to stumble back a little.

Holding the Ghost Pokémon close to her, Nova turned to see what was ahead of her. A field with a single dirt path running down the middle.

 _That'll have to do._

Running down the dirt road, Nova tried keeping Misdreavus as covered as possible while trying to balance the satchel. She knew that Misdrevus wouldn't be able to fit in the bag, despite her wanting to put in for protection.

Another bit of thunder hit, and what felt like _milliseconds_ later, a bolt of lightning came down. Nova felt her blood run cold. She was out on a dirt road in a field and lightning was starting to bellow from the sky. What else could possibly go wrong?

Without being given the chance to react, Misdreavus jumped out of Nova's arms, an almost angry look in its eyes. It was looking over across the field, where some figures were quickly approaching.

"Misdreavus, I think we should move," Nova exclaimed, holding her arms out for the Ghost Pokémon to jump into.

Refusing to move, Misdreavus attacked the figures using Shadow Ball. Standing stiffly behind the Ghost Pokémon, Nova wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She knew she wasn't going to leave Misdreavus by itself; that wouldn't be right. But she also knew that if those figures were apart of the riot, they'd have to go immediately. When the Shadow Ball hit the figures, there was a small explosion, dust coming up for a moment.

"Misdreavus, now would be a good time for us to go," Nova exclaimed. Furrowing her brows, a thought flitted across Nova's mind. "Wait. . . .why are you attacking _them_ but you didn't attack _me_?"

Looking at her for a moment, Misdreavus had a bit of a mischievous look on its face. The trio was barely given a chance to react when a Hydro Pump came just _centimeters_ from where they stood. Pichu, at that moment, decided to jump out of the satchel and stand close to where Misdreavus was. When the Shadow Ball hit where the figures were, it was powerful enough to blow up some dust in their general direction.

Pursing her lips, Nova felt her body tense. All the questions Nova wanted answered would have to wait. In that moment, the only thing that mattered was taking down the threats they were perceived as.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Heya, everyone! Sorry for the delay on this chapter. What do you think? Was it good? Was it bad? Was it meh? Letting me know what you think is important.**

 **Nothing in the _Pokémon_ universe belongs to me.**

 **So, Nova encountered a Misdreavus while trying to get out of the woods; and, from the looks of it, the Misdreavus seemed willing to go with Nova. But, as to why a wild Pokémon would be so willing to go with a human, I'll be sure to explain that later.**

 **As for who Nova, Pichu, and Misdreavus are encountering in the field, it's obvious they're not good guys. There may be a little battle sequence between the hostile's Pokémon and Nova's, but I'll have to figure out how to write that.**

 **Nova will be meeting Ash and the gang in a little bit, so don't you worry!**

 **If you've got ideas for an OC or a subplot, don't hesitate to review or PM me.***

 **Let me know if there's anything that's confusing.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	4. Chapter 4

_"And you know, I've been through a lot in the past six days, five minutes, twenty seven and a half seconds. And if I've learned anything during that time, it's that you are who you are."_ -SpongeBob Squarepants; **The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie**

* * *

Waiting until the figures were close enough, Nova could start to see what they looked like. They were older looking men, one with red hair and the other with pale brown hair. Squinting her eyes, just a little, Nova could faintly make out what their outfits were, and when she did, her heart sunk. The armor. . . .they had been guards. A Buizel followed beside the redhead while an Altaria followed the other.

Nova's eyes widened in shock. The guards didn't seem to be stopping at any point, and their Pokémon seemed just as ready to continue their charge. What felt like a ton of bricks fell in the pit of Nova's stomach. Didn't they recognize her? That Buizel's Hydro Pump nearly got them! When Nova was able to see the expressions on their faces, that was when she realized it didn't matter if she were the Princess or not, they were going to attack her. They didn't care.

 _Don't hesitate,_ she thought, trying to brace herself. _They had no problem attacking you, you shouldn't have any problems attacking them!_

"Are you guys ready?" she exclaimed, looking between Pichu and Misdreavus. When the two Pokémon let out sounds of approval, a hint of a strained smirk came across Nova's face. "OK, then," she muttered. "Pichu! Use Thunder Shock on Buizel! Misdreavus! Use Shadow Ball on Altaria!"

Pichu released the most powerful Thunder Shock it could muster, hitting the guard's Buizel. Nova could hear Buizel's pained cries as the Electric type move hit it; thankfully, Nova's little knowledge on Pokémon moves and typing allowed her to know that Water types were weak against Electric types.

Misdreavus' Shadow Ball hit Altaria, causing the Humming Pokémon to be thrown back a few feet.

The guards stopped their approach to check on their Pokémon; Altaria looked like it had recovered after a moment, but for Buizel, it looked like it had gotten paralyzed. A sense of relief washed over Nova at that.

"Pichu, hit Buizel with another Thunder Shock!" Nova exclaimed. "Misdreavus, what else can you do?"

Bracing itself, Misdreavus let out a beam. A Psybeam. Misdreavus' attack hit Altaria head-on, and it looked like it caused a great deal of damage. Not only that, but Pichu's attack seemed to do the trick for Buizel; after that Thunder Shock hit again, Buizel had fainted. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for Altaria. The Humming Pokémon was quick to recover from the Psybeam, as well.

"Altaria, use Dragon Breath!" the guard exclaimed. At the same time, the other guard tried tending to Buizel's injuries, hoping there'd still be a chance it could try and attack. At that moment, that was when Nova realized just how close the guards and their Pokémon were; if she had the ability to hear them give out commands, they were far closer than Nova was comfortable with.

Not even a second after the guard's command, Altaria shot out its attack—aiming at Misdreavus—but missed by a hair's length.

"Misdreavus, use Psybeam again!" Nova exclaimed. "Pichu, use Thunder Shock!"

Misdreavus' Psybeam went out right as Pichu unleashed its Thunder Shock. The two moves seemed to combine before it hit Altaria, and when it did, the results were astonishing. The Thunder Shock and Psybeam seemed to enhance each other's effectiveness when it hit Altaria. The pained sound Altaria let out when the two moves hit almost made Nova's heart ache; but she had to keep reminding herself that the two Pokémon on the other side of her were the enemies.

After the attacks had ceased, there was some smoke that arose from Altaria's body as it hit the ground. It was too injured to fight.

The guards tried their best to get their Pokémon back at a healthy rate to keep battling, but when they realized they couldn't, they glared over at Nova and her Pokémon.

By that time, the rain was still falling hard, the thunder and lightning was echoing and flashing. Nova was drenched, so were Pichu and Misdreavus. Setting her jaw, Nova returned the guards' glares. "Guys, c'mon!" she exclaimed, motioning for her Pokémon to return to her. The guards couldn't follow without _their_ Pokémon. That was the perfect opportunity.

Pichu jumped into the satchel while Misdreavus floated close by. Nova bolted down the other side of the field, hoping and praying she'd be able to do it one piece.

 **. . . .**

"We can't seem to find her anywhere." A guard stood in the throne room, his eyes cast downward. "She's left with her Pichu. . . .and the crown."

Fingers tapped against the armrest of the main throne. A heaviness seemed to settle in the air, one that made the guard shift unconsciously.

"How was she able to leave with the crown?"

Swallowing thickly, the guard straightened his shoulders, trying to look as calm and collected as possible. "We believe someone helped her," he responded. "There's no way she could've escaped without us noticing."

A hum in response. "Well, she escaped and none of you _worthless_ guards managed to find her!"

"T-The servant!" the guard stammered. "The servant might know."

"Livia." A sigh. "There's a possibility she may have helped. She's got a soft spot for the Princess."

"Should I. . . .Should I retrieve her?"

A brief pause. "Why not?" Before the guard could leave, he was hailed. "You've got Pokémon, yes?"

"Uhm. . . .yes, ma'am."

"What do you have?"

"An Empoleon and a Hoothoot."

"Bring out your Hoothoot," was the reply. "Your Empoleon will be used as a backup."

 **. . . .**

Nova ran, slipped, tripped, stumbled, and sprinted as far as she possibly could. Misdreavus stayed close to her, Pichu had its head poked out of the satchel, as if it were keeping watch. Nova had no clue where she was going, only that she needed to get far away. She needed to protect Misdreavus and Pichu as well as herself.

 _Just keep moving!_ she thought. _You have to keep moving._

Despite her lungs burning from the lack of oxygen, and her legs being sore from running and tripping, Nova knew better than to stop. If she stopped, she wasn't sure she'd be able to keep going.

After what felt like a lifetime, Nova decided she needed to stop. She could hardly breathe, and her legs felt like they were about to give way. Her breathing was beyond ragged; it hurt with each breath Nova took, but she was starting to feel a little better. Blinking rapidly, Nova tried to see beyond the rain and possible sweat that fell on her eyelashes, making it difficult to see. She wasn't even in the field anymore. There were a few trees here and there, some bushes and a bit of undergrowth, but it wasn't anything too severe.

"Where are we?" she asked, her breathing still ragged. Misdreavus floated around, looking a little confused. Pichu's head was still poking out of the satchel, looking a little hesitant. Nova took her time studying her surroundings; she couldn't really see any sort of path, which made her a little uneasy. "We'll just have to keep walking."

Misdreavus gently nudged Nova's shoulder, looking at her anxiously. _'We should rest.'_

"If we keep moving, we'll be able to outrun those creeps." Despite her hoarse voice, Nova tried to put as much determination in it as possible. Taking a few breaths, Nova closed her eyes for a moment to prepare herself. Opening her eyes was the hard part. Nova hadn't slept at all the night before; then she'd spent a majority of the day trying to figure out a way to find some kind of safety from whatever was going on at the kingdom. Feeling her body sway a little, Nova quickly shook her head, trying to rid herself of the exhaustion that was overtaking her. "Just a little further," she murmured.

 **. . . .**

The kingdom of Meridian was one that promoted the bonds shared between people and Pokémon. It was that special bond that kept everything running smoothly. Without it, Meridian wouldn't be able to function. That was how the kingdom came to be. According to legends, hundreds and hundreds of years ago, a Princess named Merida was able to work together with two Legendary Pokémon to stop a war that would have _certainly_ destroyed the land. The two feuding sides eventually came to an agreement, and after years of settling, Meridian came into existence.

Pokémon and humans, working together instead of fighting. That had been Merida's lesson to those involved. Even with two Legendary Pokémon at her disposal, she didn't once have either of them attack. She showed the feuding sides the harmony of working together. That motto stuck with the inhabitants of the growing kingdom for centuries afterward.

That was what Nova absolutely loved about her home. The unity. At least, what looked like unity to _her_. Nova's parents, Erik and Diana, kept her sheltered for the most part; despite the Princess' best intentions in wanting to learn more about the politics and how to handle any wrongdoers. Her parents wouldn't allow it, which made Nova's frustration grow. Then, when Livia wouldn't allow any kind of information, that just added to the frustration. Nova wanted to be a great ruler, just like her parents. They'd instilled the best values they could possibly allow into their only daughter, hoping she'd become the greatest Queen she could be. Nova thought that meant knowing absolutely every detail about everything.

"When you're older, you'll be able to know," Diana had said, smiling warmly at her daughter. "For now, don't worry. Your father and I will handle it."

 _Seems like I may not be able to know after all._ Shaking her head, Nova felt a pang of guilt build inside of her. She couldn't allow herself to be thinking like that. It wouldn't benefit anyone in the long run.

Letting out a sigh, Nova looked around. She had resorted to a nice steady walk, hopefully to get to wherever she could before nightfall. She was exhausted, filthy, hungry, and a bit disoriented. The heavy rainfall had resorted to a nice, light rain; almost like a drizzle. The thunder and lightning had gone away, much to Nova's relief.

Brushing some of her black hair out of her face, Nova let out a breath. She'd gotten through two obstacles. She could hopefully handle whatever else was thrown her way.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know, I know** **—this chapter took too long to post! I was going to have it up sooner, but I had school and homework I needed to do first, so I focused on that for a little bit. But was this chapter good? Was it bad? Was it meh? Be sure to let me know!**

 **Do I own _Pokémon_? No. No I don't.**

 **Tell me if there's anything in this chapter that confuses you.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	5. Chapter 5

_"Fox on the run,_

 _You scream and everybody comes,_

 _A running,_

 _Take a run and hide yourself away...,"_

-Fox On the Run; **by the Sweet**

* * *

If there's one thing Nova would come to absolutely hate, it would be walking. It felt like that was the only thing she was useful for. Pichu and Misdreavus were starting look equally as exhausted as she was, which made Nova feel terrible. Not to mention she had no idea where she was going. If those guards hadn't attacked her on the path, she probably would've made it somewhere by now. Sighing, Nova hunched her shoulders, trying to keep her heavy eyelids open.

 _Put some distance between yourself and your attackers,_ she'd remind herself. _If you take the time to rest, you'd probably get attacked by something else._

Letting out another sigh, Nova closed her eyes for a moment, just to calm herself down. Bad idea. The moment Nova's eyes were closed, she felt herself swaying a little. Misdreavus had snapped her out of it.

"Sorry," she mumbled, looking at the Ghost Pokémon apologetically.

A small smile came across Misdreavus' face, as if forgiving Nova. Once the walking continued, Nova pursed her lips. Her feet felt as heavy as a bag of bricks; her legs ached; her pajamas were still a little damp; Nova's hair was semi-dry, frizzing out near the end. Not to mention she was _cold_. At that point, Nova didn't even feel hungry anymore. The feeling became so overwhelming it didn't even bother her.

Without warning, Misdreavus sped ahead of where Nova was walking, startling the Princess out of her haze. "Misdreavus?" she called, blinking in confusion. "What's wrong?"

The Ghost Pokémon kept going, as if not hearing what Nova had said.

Setting her jaw, Nova gripped the satchel closer to her and hurried after Misdreavus. Nova knew that Misdreavus was still, technically, a wild Pokémon; it may have chosen to stay with Nova because of the heavy rainfall, but it still had the freedom to leave her when it deemed necessary. Unlike Pichu, who was Nova's actual Pokémon. But, in a sense, that didn't mean it wouldn't hurt a little if Misdreavus chose to leave. Nova had grown to like the Ghost type, and wouldn't mind if it chose to continue traveling with her.

 _Livia said that the only way wild Pokémon become yours is if you have PokéBalls,_ Nova remembered. _I don't have any. So. . . .Misdreavus could leave whenever it wanted and maybe never come back._

Livia was very knowledgeable of what it was like outside the gates of Nova's home. According to the older woman, she had a daughter who was a Pokémon Trainer, and occasionally Livia would receive letters from her daughter about her travels. Whenever a letter would come in from her daughter, Livia would read them to Nova; explaining certain details that came off as a bit confusing. PokéBalls had been one of them.

Feeling her chest constrict at the thought of Misdreavus leaving, Nova tried pushing the thoughts and feelings out of her head. She didn't want to think about that.

Nova came to a skidding halt when she saw Misdreavus floating near what looked like a building, looking back as if it were waiting for Nova and Pichu to catch up.

"I thought you were leaving us," Nova panted. A confused look came across Misdreavus' face before it shook its head. Smiling at Nova, Misdreavus flew around Nova's head before cuddling up to her. "You're staying?" Nova asked. Letting out a noise of confirmation, a sigh escaped the Princess' mouth. "It's just. . . .I'm not a Trainer, so I thought if I didn't have a PokéBall to capture you with, you'd just leave and never come back."

Misdreavus looked at Nova and shook its head. Before Nova could ask anymore questions, it focused Nova's attention on the building. It had a red top, and it was something Nova wasn't familiar with.

"A. . . . _Pokémon_ _Center_?" she mumbled, looking at the building carefully. It looked like it was open. "How'd you know this was out here?" Misdreavus smiled at Nova. "You must know this area more than I thought."

Pichu used that opportunity to jump out of the satchel and cling onto Nova's shoulder.

 _Let's get this over with,_ she thought.

 **. . . .**

Nova had been very cautious, entering the Pokémon Center. She wasn't sure what to expect, honestly. Were there going to be people in there who'd attack her? It made her nervous! But, when she saw it was relatively empty, side from a Chansey and a Nurse Joy, Nova was somewhat relieved. Only somewhat.

"Welcome to our Pokémon Center," Nurse Joy said cheerfully, looking at Nova with no hostility or anger. "How can I help you?"

"Uhm. . . ." Nova looked between Misdreavus and Pichu. "I, uh. . . ."

"Are your Pokémon injured?" Nurse Joy asked, looking a little worried.

 _Is that what Pokémon Centers do?_ she thought. _Look at injured Pokémon?_

"Would you be able to just make sure they're OK?" Nova asked, still sounding a little uncertain.

Nodding, Nurse Joy smiled. "Of course!" she said.

Gently taking Pichu off her shoulder, she walked over to the counter where Nurse Joy stood on the other side; Misdreavus followed not far behind Nova. Gently placing Pichu on the counter, Misdreavus floated over Nova's shoulder.

"I guess she's going to make sure you guys are OK," Nova told them. "Are you guys OK with that?"

Pichu looked a little worried, looking at Nova almost desperately. Giving the Tiny Mouse Pokémon a reassuring smile, Nova nodded. Looking over at Nurse Joy, Pichu allowed her to take it and Misdreavus to the back for an examination.

Sighing, Nova went and sat down near the back wall. Leaning her head on the wall, Nova closed her eyes and took a deep breath. However long it took for the examination to take place, Nova would try and get some rest in. It didn't even feel like seconds after she allowed herself to relax some that the doors to the Pokémon Center opened and voices filled in. Snapping her eyes open, Nova saw three kids, who couldn't be much older than her, walking in. They were smiling, laughing, as if they didn't have a care in the world. One of them, a young boy, was wearing a hat with a Pikachu resting comfortably on his head. There was a taller, darker skinned boy, who looked as if he were a couple years older than his companions. Then there was a girl, just a few inches shorter than her male friends, wearing a hat and a short dress, with a Piplup in her arms. They didn't seem to notice Nova.

"Nurse Joy must be busy right now," the girl said.

"Aw man," the boy with the Pikachu exclaimed.

Not long after, Nurse Joy's Chansey hurried out, looking at the friends with an apologetic smile.

"I guess she'll be done in a minute," the taller one sighed. He almost sounded _disappointed_.

A knot of fear wrapped itself around Nova's stomach when they turned to make their way over to the seats. When they saw her, they froze. Nova felt her hands clench into fists on her lap. She avoided their gazes, hoping to find something to distract herself with. Wishing Nurse Joy would hurry with the examination of her Pokémon.

 _They can't be in that bad of a condition, can they?_ she thought worriedly.

"Hey." Jumping in her seat, Nova looked up to see the boy with the Pikachu smiling down at her. Nova's eyes were wide, the knot of fear in her stomach tightening. Was he going to attack her? Were his friends going to? "Would it be OK if my friends and I sat here?" he asked, motioning to the remaining open seats.

"Uhm, go ahead," she mumbled, quickly looking down. There was a moment of silence before Nova realized the boy sat next to her.

"That was a really bad storm out there," he said, glancing at Nova. Nova nodded wordlessly.

Silence.

"Are you OK?" the girl asked, looking at Nova closely. The girl and the taller one hadn't sat down, they were just looking at the Princess nervously.

It was in that moment that Nurse Joy came back out. "Your Pichu and Misdreavus are in perfect health," she said, looking at Nova with a warm smile. Quickly standing up, and clutching the satchel close to her, Nova hurriedly went over to the counter and opened the satchel for Pichu to get back in. Misdreavus swirled around the Princess' head for a moment, a smile on its face.

"Thank you," she mumbled before hurrying out of the Center.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know it took a bit for this chapter to be up, but here it is! Hopefully you guys like it, OK? If there's anything you think could use improvement, don't hesitate to let me know.**

 **Do I own anything in _Pokémon_? No. No I don't.**

 **Let me know if there's anything in this chapter that confuses you.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	6. Chapter 6

_"Hello,_

 _I've got something to tell you,_

 _But it's crazy,_

 _I've got something to show you...,"_

-Another Believer; **by Rufus Wainwright**

* * *

Nova wanted to put as much distance between herself and those people as possible. She wasn't really in a friendly mood, given the circumstances. How was she _supposed_ to interact with them? Nova looked _terrible_ , and then she's faced with having to talk to three random kids, who may or may not be working with whoever caused the rioting in Meridian. Nova wasn't ready to deal with other people yet. A good part of her knew that she'd have to think of something to get her home back to the way it had been, to stop whatever madness was occurring. That also meant she'd have to rely on other people.

Who was Nova supposed to trust? That was the real question.

Sighing, Nova held her satchel close to her. That was another thing — Nova had no clue what the importance of the satchel was. The only thing she knew was that it housed Pichu until she could find some sort of temporary living arrangement. Was there something else in there she was supposed to be aware of? The boy who helped her escape never mentioned anything. Maybe there _wasn't_ anything in the satchel; it was just for Pichu. But. . . .that didn't seem to make much sense.

Nova would've had some sort of opportunity to look in the satchel at the Pokémon Center — it was a possibility, at least — if she had just been given the chance to actually think it over.

Letting out a sigh, Nova tried holding herself together. She couldn't keep herself focused on what she _should've_ done, it'll keep her focus off the more important things.

 _Once you find somewhere else to rest, you'll be able to see what's in the satchel,_ she thought worriedly. _After you get a few hours of rest first._

Thankfully, there seemed to be some kind of path leading down to the Pokémon Center — not like a manmade path or anything, like a path worn down by travelers — and Nova was happy about that. It gave her an idea of where to go down.

 _If those guys needed their Pokémon healed, then they probably won't be able to follow me, right?_ she thought, biting her bottom lip. It was an innocent enough thought. Those people would be too focused on their own Pokémon, they wouldn't be worrying about _her_. . . .even though she looked _awful_ , and she probably _did_ cause a bit of worry for them.

Sighing, Nova tried pushing the thoughts — those terrible intrusive thoughts — out of her head. It wasn't going to do her good.

Misdreavus seemed to catch on to Nova's behavior, cuddling up to her while it floated.

"I'm overthinking all of this," she sighed, smiling at the Ghost Pokémon. "I'm sorry for making you both worry so much; it's not fair to either of you." Pichu popped its head out of the satchel, looking at Nova worriedly. "You've both had to do so much, go through so much," Nova murmured; she went and gently scratched the top of Pichu's head. "Misdreavus, you're still a wild Pokémon, and you chose to stick around when you didn't have to. And Pichu. . . .this must be horrifying to you. I am so, so sorry."

Pichu let out a soft whine, climbing up Nova's arm and perching on her shoulder. Misdreavus frowned softly before cuddling against her again.

 **. . . .**

"She seemed like she was scared," Dawn said, looking between Ash and Brock worriedly. "Should we go after her?"

"Nurse Joy's almost done with our Pokémon," Brock said firmly, making sure to stay calm. "Once she's done, we'll go after her."

"Looked like she was in that storm," Ash mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "I think we should go after her!"

"But she could be anywhere by now!" Dawn exclaimed. "What if we don't find her?"

"We'll figure something out," Ash exclaimed, a determined look spreading across his features. "She couldn't have gone that far, right!"

Before the conversation could carry on any further, Nurse Joy came back — Chansey in tow — with the Trainers' PokéBalls. "Here you guys go," she said cheerfully. "Your Pokémon are in perfect health."

The three said thank you, getting their respective PokéBalls — aside from Pikachu and Piplup, who happily jumped into the open arms of their Trainers — before Ash asked where the next town was.

"Town?" Nurse Joy blinked in slight surprise. "You're actually really close to Era Town."

"Era Town?" Dawn asked.

Smiling, Nurse Joy nodded. "If you check your map, you'll see you entered Meridian," she responded. The confused looks on the young Trainers' faces caused Nurse Joy to look more serious herself. "Meridian is a kingdom that almost neighbors Sinnoh, but not by much. The people of Meridian and the people of Sinnoh hardly ever interact with each other."

"We're in some kind of kingdom?" Brock asked.

Nurse Joy nodded. "Meridian's an ancient kingdom," she informed, "rumored to have formed before even Sinnoh came to be. It's said that the kingdom got its name after Princess Merida, who stopped a war from breaking out with two Legendary Pokémon."

"That's amazing," Dawn exclaimed.

"What Legendary Pokémon were with her?" Ash exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"I think she had Palkia and Dialga." A thoughtful look came across Nurse Joy's face as she thought it over. "Yes, I think that's right. Palkia and Dialga were seen as deities in those days, and are still worshipped in certain parts of Meridian today."

"Maybe that girl was from around here!" Ash said. "She'll probably be able to show us around once we find her."

"She looked like she was from the Capital," Nurse Joy said. "She had that look to her."

"OK!" Ash smiled excitedly to Brock and Dawn. "Let's go to Era Town!"

"I'd be careful if I were you," Nurse Joy added, before the three Trainers left. "There have been uprisings going on lately. The Capital has been receiving the worst of it. I'd say Era Town's a close second."

"Uprisings?" Brock asked.

"You didn't happen to come through any towns or cities on your way here, did you?" Nurse Joy asked.

"No," Dawn said. "Why?"

"You must have come through the fields," she sighed. "That's good, but still dangerous."

"Why?" Ash asked.

"Just. . . .be careful on who you trust, OK?" she asked, worry lacing her words. "Things have been problematic for a while. Stay close to one another, especially with your Pokémon."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know this chapter should've been up sooner, but I've been having a busy day so I couldn't really have it done when I wanted it to be. Either way, here it is. Ash and the gang briefly met Nova, who ran off before any of them could get to know her. Nurse Joy gave Ash, Dawn, and Brock a brief warning on what's been going on in Meridian lately — I'll be sure to go into a little more detail on the layout of Meridian as the story goes on** **— and it seems as though Ash, Dawn, and Brock are willing to go find Nova.**

 **Do I own anything in this franchise? No. No I don't.**

 **So! For anyone who's a little confused on this chapter, here's a little explanation. Meridian is relatively close to Sinnoh, and the inhabitants of Sinnoh and Meridian rarely ever interact with each other. Meridian has a capital — where the royal family lives and a lot of the higher class citizens** **— and the rest of Meridian is left as cities or towns. Palkia and Dialga are worshipped as deities. Is there something I haven't covered that's still a little squishy for anyone? If so, don't hesitate to let me know.**

 **Also, if you have an OC or a subplot you'd like to see added into the story, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review!**

 **Just tell me if something's confusing and I'll explain it.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	7. Chapter 7

_"Maybe I've been here before,_

 _I know this room, I've walked this floor,_

 _I used to live alone before I knew you...,"_

-Hallelujah; **by Rufus Wainwright**

* * *

"Era Town." Nova stood at the entrance of the town she was overlooking, feeling hesitant to enter. Era Town was the biggest town in Meridian, known for its continual worship of Dialga, and for being one of the wealthier towns due to its strong relationship with the Capital. Nova had a brief understanding that her parents made sure to have an even flow of money to all the cities and towns in the kingdom, but she also knew that, occasionally, a city or a town would get a little more for whatever resources that had been provided. Era Town was known to make very good mechanics — some of those mechanics went into making very intricate clocks, or, if it was a special request, the mechanics would vary.

But, Nova came to understand, since Era Town had such a close relationship with the Capital, and there were riots going on, Nova had to keep in mind the possibility of some kind of uprising going on in Era Town. It seemed calm enough, but that didn't mean Nova was going to be risking her safety or the safety of her Pokémon.

 _Where else can you go right now?_ she thought, backtracking on her cautious behavior. _If you pass through Era Town, then you'll be in Expansion City._

Chewing her bottom lip, Nova couldn't help but fidget a little. Expansion City wasn't a _big_ city, not compared to Bijou City. Bijou City bordered in size with the Capital — which was big — but not entirely. Aside from all that, Nova knew that if she had the opportunity to make it to Expansion City, maybe she'd be able to get some much needed rest. The city and the Capital didn't entirely have a _lot_ of contact, despite the close proximity, so if Nova managed to make her way there, then she'd probably be able to find some form of refuge there. At least until she could sort things out. Not only that, Livia knew some people who lived in the city, so if Nova could find them — which she knew was a potentially impossible task — then the chances of finding refuge wouldn't seem so daunting.

Looking at Misdreavus and Pichu, Nova tried making herself look more confident. "What do you guys think?" she asked. "Should we go in?"

Misdreavus seemed to agree, but Pichu looked a little apprehensive. Nova could understand the way Pichu felt, she felt the same way, but Nova knew that if she wanted to make any progress, she _had_ to keep moving. And, thankfully, Pichu seemed to catch onto that. With a reluctant nod from Pichu, Nova took a deep breath and started walking.

 **. . . .**

"We actually aren't that far from Era Town." Brock had gotten out a map, helping with directions as they made their way to their new destination. While Nurse Joy's warning seemed to linger in the backs of their minds, finding the jumpy girl — that was Ash's nickname for her — seemed to be top priority. They'd figure everything else out later.

"You think she'll be OK?" Dawn asked, hugging Piplup a little closer to her.

"She'll be fine!" Ash exclaimed. "We'll find her in no time."

"From the looks of it, Era Town is a very wealthy town," Brock explained, "and is relatively open about its worship of Dialga. Not only that, but it seems to be close with the Capital."

"Maybe that's why Nurse Joy was so worried," Dawn exclaimed. "Since it's so close to the Capital, maybe that's why there's uprisings."

"I don't think it's that." Brock looked at Dawn for a moment. "It could be something else entirely."

"What do you think's going on?" Ash asked, sounding so _serious_ it weighed heavily on the others.

"We'll find out when we get there," Brock responded.

 **. . . .**

"I don't understand why you're fighting this, Livia." Standing in front of the older woman was a petite young woman with delicate-looking features. "All you have to do is tell me where you sent the Princess."

"You think I'd do that?" Livia snapped. "She hasn't done a _thing_ to you!"

The young woman's eyes narrowed. "That's right," she responded. "Not to me, but one day, she'll be in charge of the entire _kingdom_. _That_ inexperienced little brat. I don't agree with it one bit."

"I'm not telling you where she is." Livia's response was venomous, but it didn't seem to faze the younger woman.

The younger woman rolled her eyes. Livia had been in interrogation for the past hour and a half, and in that time, she'd been stubborn and uncooperative. One of the guard's Empoleon had been used as a form of torture — the guard would force Empoleon to attack Livia when necessary — and that _still_ didn't stop Livia's stubbornness.

"Listen, Livia." The woman walked over and looked at Livia in the eyes, clearly frustrated. "I just want the Princess' crown. That's it. Once I have it, I'll let her go. Deal?"

"You think I don't know what's going on here?" Livia barked. "I know why you need the crown, and you're _not_ going to hold your end of the bargain. This hasn't been the first time people like you have attempted something like this."

"That's true. Only I'll actually complete it this time." When Livia scowled, the woman turned back to the guard with the Empoleon. "Tell it to use BubbleBeam."

 **. . . .**

Era Town was certainly calm — eerily calm at that. There weren't many people out, and the ones who _were_ had been giving odd looks Nova's way. So, one could imagine the uneasiness Nova felt every time a citizen looked Nova's way, in any way at all.

 _All you have to do is get to Expansion City,_ she thought, trying to reassure herself. _If that doesn't work out, you could go to Bijou City. But that's only as back-up._

Swallowing thickly, Nova hugged her satchel close to her before glancing at Pichu and Misdreavus. They looked just as cautious as Nova felt. She wanted to stay calm for them, that was the important thing.

 _Right,_ she thought, _stay calm for Pichu and Misdreavus._

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **1\. I am sorry this chapter wasn't up sooner, but I got sidetracked by school. Please be understanding of that, OK?**

 **2\. Since I got sidetracked from school, and this chapter wasn't up, the previous chapter was in its place, right? Right. So what do you guys think that means? It means it's not permanent, so you don't have to go reminding me when something like that happens. If I'm completely aware of it, I don't need constant reminders.**

 **3\. Patience is a virtue.**

 **I own nothing in this franchise.**

 **** **Just tell me if something's confusing and I'll explain it.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	8. Chapter 8

_"Welcome to the jungle we got fun and games,_

 _We got everything you want,_

 _Honey, we know the names,_

 _We are the people that can find whatever you may need,_

 _If you got the money, honey, we got your disease...,"_

-Welcome to the Jungle; **by Guns 'n Roses**

* * *

"It's the Princess."

"What is she doing here?"

"What should we do?"

"She shouldn't be here."

"No, she shouldn't."

"But what do we _do_?"

"Do we call. . . .?"

"Yes."

Nova could faintly hear the whispers of the few people who were standing in Era Town's streets. She couldn't quite hear what they were saying, but given they were looking her way meant they were talking _about_ her.

Chewing her bottom lip, Nova held the satchel closer. She became aware of Pichu and Misdreavus trying to get closer to her, which worried Nova further.

How was she supposed to handle it all?

 **. . . .**

"We're getting pretty close to Era Town," Brock announced. The group had been determined to make it to the next town over in hopes of finding the girl in the Pokémon Center. The way she had been acting — the way she looked — was worrisome. She was filthy, twitchy, anxious.

A determined look swept across Ash's face, his pace almost quickening.

"Ash, slow down," Dawn scolded. "We'll get there soon enough."

"We've gotta get there!" he exclaimed.

"I understand your concern," Dawn stated, "we're all concerned. But you can't go running ahead."

"Dawn's right," Brock said. "Era Town's just a couple miles ahead, let's just be patient, OK?"

"She couldn't have gotten that far," Dawn said.

 **. . . .**

What were the things Nova took for granted every day? The fact that she lived in such a luxurious house, the daughter of royalty. Nova had everything handed to her on a silver platter, she didn't have to work a day in her life. So when things were starting to unravel, and she didn't notice it at first, it made her feel almost guilty. Yes, Nova's parents — _and_ Livia — were trying to protect her from what they considered "inappropriate" for someone her age, but Nova wanted to understand what was going on in her parents' kingdom. _Why_ had things unraveled so suddenly? Was there any real reason? Of course there was, it was just that Nova couldn't think of any reason why there would be.

Chewing her bottom lip, Nova felt a heaviness weigh down on her.

Nova's idea of being a good ruler was knowing what was going on in the kingdom, understanding why things were going wrong and figuring out a way to fix it. The sheltered life her parents provided was nice, it showed they were doing their best, but it still made her feel a little unsettled. Not to mention Livia's need to shelter her. Livia had been one of Nova's closest friends growing up, she had been like a second mother. Livia's need to shelter and protect — the same way Nova's parents did — was almost smothering.

 _They did what they did because they love you,_ a small voice in the back of her head whispered. _Imagine if they didn't care? Things would be different._

It was true. Nova understood that her parents and Livia did what they did because they wanted Nova to be safe, that they were looking out for her wellbeing. Every time she found herself complaining about never being treated seriously or never being told anything, she had to remind herself that the reason things were being kept from her was because her best interests were being considered.

Nova was just grateful they were so concerned for her.

 **. . . .**

"Are you going to be OK?" Diana looked at Livia worriedly.

"I don't know, Your Highness," Livia muttered, giving a sharp laugh. The guard's Empoleon had landed some pretty intense attacks, and she knew that she was probably in bad shape.

Frowning, Diana looked at the cell door anxiously. It had been hours since any of the guards had entered. The two women had been separated Erik, Diana's husband. "You don't think they'll come back, do you?" she murmured.

"They will."

"I just hope Nova's safe."

"She's a smart girl," Livia murmured. "I'm sure she's far from here by now."

". . . .Do you at least know why this is happening?" Diana asked softly.

"Nova's crown." Livia looked at the Queen exhaustedly. "She wants Nova's crown."

A look of controlled horror swept across Diana's face. The jewels in Nova's crown played a significant role in Meridian's history; it was said they had been used for a nearly apocalyptic event that happened hundreds of years ago, but it failed. Since then, the jewels had been kept under the protection of the royal family, who thought they were the only ones responsible for making sure nothing that extreme ever happened again. As it would turn out, there were people who saw that devastating day as anything but disastrous. Diana had heard it being called "the Cleansing" by some of those people. Those people — those extremists — saw it as a kind of rebirth for the people of Meridian, that the old ways would be eradicated to make way for a better way of life. There had been rumors going around that the extremists even had been speaking of taking down Sinnoh, to gain more land and more resources.

Diana could only _pray_ her daughter got as far away from the Capital as possible.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **This is a pretty short chapter, but I tried making it as interesting as possible. If something about it is confusing for any of you, PM me and I'll try and clarify it the best I can. I have had a long day so if it's poorly written or confusing, that's probably why.**

 **Do I own anything in the Pokémon franchise? Nope.**

 **Let me know if you've got any ideas on future updates.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	9. Chapter 9

_"If the sky that we look upon,_

 _Should stumble and fall,_

 _Or the mountain should crumble to the sea,_

 _I won't cry, I won't cry,_

 _No, I won't shed a tear,_

 _Just as long as you stand by me...,"_

-Stand By Me; **by Ben E. King**

* * *

By the time Ash and the others made it to Era Town, they were unsettled by how _calm_ it was. They weren't entirely sure, in that split second, if they wanted to continue; but Ash's determination to find the girl at the Pokémon Center pushed aside any uncertainties he felt at that moment. Straightening his shoulders ever so slightly, Ash hurried his way into Era Town, leaving Dawn and Brock calling after him for his brashness.

"Will you _stop_ , Ash?" Dawn hissed, holding her Piplup closer to her. "We can't just go barging in like that."

"It doesn't look like there're a lot of people out anyway," Brock murmured, looking around.

"You're right," Dawn said quietly. There were a few people scattered here and there, but not a lot in general. The small group had to wonder what had gone on to leave the town looking so barren. Had an uprising left the town somewhat abandoned? What would happen if they ran into any of the people responsible for the uprisings? The uncertainties came back stronger than ever.

"Do you think we'll find her here?" Ash asked, looking over at Brock.

"I could only hope so," Brock sighed. "If we were pretty close to here back at that Pokémon Center, I could only guess she'd come here, too."

"But she'll be OK, right?" Dawn asked, her tone sounding almost doubtful. "Nothing'll happen to her?"

That was the question that seemed to be the hardest to answer.

 **. . . .**

The whispers seemed to fill Nova's head, driving her almost _insane_. All she wanted to do was find a safe place to go to and rest for a little while. Misdreavus and Pichu looked just as exhausted as she felt. Her feet hurt and her legs ached; her entire body felt as if it were made of lead. Part of Nova knew it wouldn't be a good idea to seek refuge in Era Town, considering its closeness to the Capital, so she was occasionally reminding herself to make it to either Expansion City or Bijou City. Though she knew that making it to Bijou would be a stretch, considering how far it was, even from Expansion City.

Misdreavus nudged Nova's shoulder a little, catching her attention. Turning to look at the Ghost type Pokémon, Nova's attention was drawn to a small inn that her companion was nodding towards. It was a good idea; the inn itself was small and looked like it'd be a good place to rest up, but Nova wasn't sure if her satchel had any money. Since running from the palace, she didn't get the opportunity to really inspect the satchel's contents. Giving an exhausted smile to Misdreavus, Nova shook her head. "It's a good idea, but I don't think we have the money," she murmured. "We're probably going to Expansion City, just to play it safe." She started walking again, despite her aching feet wanting to just _rest_.

Pichu, who had continually gone back and forth between sitting inside the satchel and sitting on Nova's shoulders, sat comfortably in the satchel with its head poked out, looking around cautiously. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon took note of each human that looked their way, each human who whispered amongst themselves. Pichu could hear some of the things the other humans were saying, and an unsettling feeling came over the small Pokémon. The citizens of Era Town weren't really as welcoming to Nova, they didn't really go out of their way to make her feel comfortable or wanted. Pichu knew that Misdreavus felt the same way, despite the Ghost type wanting to be as helpful as possible. Scurrying out of the satchel, Pichu climbed up Nova's arm and settled on the Princess' shoulder, gently nestling itself in place.

"You doing OK, Pichu?" Nova asked, giving a sideways glance Pichu's way.

A shake of its head was Pichu's response. _'I don't like it here.'_

Nova's lips pursed a little. If she could force her body to move a little faster, she'd be able to get out of the town quicker and ease the tensions Pichu was experiencing. Looking over at Misdreavus, Nova noticed the way her companion's eyes were darting around, the uneasiness radiating off the Ghost type. Obviously they were more anxious about Era Town's eeriness than she was allowing herself to be.

 **. . . .**

Era Town had experienced a fair share of uprisings, resulting in a good number of citizens to leave. The remaining citizens were either too afraid to leave or were working in line with the people responsible for Meridian's fast decline. That was why seeing the Princess wandering the streets had come as such a surprise. Those who were responsible for the uprisings in Meridian had been told to keep a lookout for the Princess, since she more than likely had very special cargo that they needed for their plans. And what does she stroll in with? A satchel, probably carrying the very item they needed.

"Should we tell Skye?" someone murmured.

"Yeah, she'll need to know," another whispered. "You follow her. I'll alert Skye."

 **. . . .**

Nova felt herself unconsciously stiffen when she heard footsteps behind her. Straightening her shoulders, she tried hurrying her pace, but her exhausted body wouldn't let her move any faster. Taking a deep breath, she let it out and tried _forcing_ herself to move faster. She _had_ to! If whoever was behind her was a potential threat, she didn't want them causing her or her Pokémon any harm. All she wanted was to get out.

 _Don't make it obvious you're scared,_ she thought, trying to internally calm herself down. _Don't let them get to you! You're stronger than this. You've managed to make it this far, don't give up now, OK?_

Swallowing thickly, Nova tried putting those thoughts to good use. If she allowed her follower to know she was bothered by them, then she'd be giving them the upper-hand, she'd be allowing herself to be overwhelmed with her own emotions. She had to keep calm, she had to make herself look unbothered by what was going on. Nova wanted nothing more than to be _brave_.

When the sounds of the footsteps started becoming faster, Nova's heart started beating erratically in her chest. She couldn't move any faster than what she was going; feeling her breathing becoming more and more shallow, she tried figuring out a strategy.

"Misdreavus," she whispered, "use Shadow Ball."

The Ghost type Pokémon quickly turned around and launched a Shadow Ball at whoever was behind her. There was a pained cry. In that minute, Nova turned and saw a man stumbling, smoke coming off him from where the attack had hit. He was obviously disoriented, blinking a few times before a heated glare was sent her way. A feeling of dread came over Nova.

"Misdreavus, use Psywave," she stammered.

The attack was instantly launched and the man fell onto his back, letting out another pained cry. Nova gripped the satchel close to her, exclaiming at Misdreavus to hurry and follow her. Much to Nova's delight, she finally mustered up enough energy to at least do a light jog. Despite the man having the ability to easily close up the space between them, Nova was going to use the opportunity Misdreavus gave them to put as much space as possible between them.

 _It's just like those guards, remember? The more space you have between them, the easier it'll be to lose them! Once you make it to Expansion City, it'll be really hard for them to find you. Keep that in mind, OK?_

Before she could even get very far, though, much to Nova's misfortune, she found herself stumbling to a stop when she saw those kids from the Pokémon Center.

 **. . . .**

Brock had informed the others of Era Town being relatively big, and they were scared that maybe they wouldn't be able to find the girl if it was as big as they had been told. Dawn seemed to show obvious worry over the girl's condition while Ash was determined to figure out a way to help her. Brock would admit that he was also concerned about her; seeing the look on her face made him wonder what exactly she went through. She looked like so terrified, and Brock couldn't help but think about one of his siblings being in a situation like that. He couldn't _stand_ the thought of _any_ of his siblings feeling as terrified as the girl was when they saw her.

The trio stopped for a moment when they heard a noise.

"Did you hear that?" Ash asked. There was another sound, it didn't sound _too_ far away. It sounded almost like a person. "C'mon! I think it's this way!"

The trio hurried off to where they believed the sound came from. It was a little hard, since the town had so many alleyways and streets, but once they made their way down another block, they came to a stop when they ran into the girl from the Pokémon Center. Ash felt a sensation of relief washing over him when he saw her, though he had to admit she looked just as disheveled, if not more so, than the last time he saw her. Her hair was frizzy and tangled, her eyes had dark circles around them, the clothes she wore were filthy and she looked almost wild with fear. A Misdreavus floated above her right shoulder while a Pichu was clinging to her left shoulder, the two Pokémon glaring at the trio.

"You're the girl from the Pokémon Center!" Ash exclaimed. That was when he really took in the look on her face; and that was when it started to really settle in with him. She looked _terrified_ , she looked like she was about to burst out into tears or maybe even _pass_ _out_ at any given moment. She was clutching a satchel close to her chest, as if using it as support. That was when the sounds of footsteps came behind her. She quickly turned, her body visibly tensing when a man showed up, looking absolutely _livid_ when he saw her with Ash and his friends.

"Now you listen here, you brat...," he snapped.

"Hey!" Ash snapped, glaring at him. "Leave her alone!"

"Get behind us," Brock instructed, a scowl on his face as he looked at the man. Without a second thought, she scurried behind where Dawn and Brock stood.

"You think you can stop me?" the man exclaimed. "Do you even know who I _am_?"

"I don't care who you are," Ash said. "You're going to leave her alone."

With a scoff, the man took out a PokéBall. "Take them down, Heracross!" he exclaimed. The Single Horn Pokémon came out of the PokéBall, ready for battle.

"Go on out there, Pikachu," Ash exclaimed. Pikachu jumped off of Ash's shoulder and in front of him on all fours. The Electric Mouse Pokémon's tail was high in the air, electricity crackling from its red cheeks.

 **. . . .**

These Trainers...these... _random_ _Trainers_ Nova only met _once_ were defending her? Protecting her? She didn't even know them. She didn't know if they were putting up some kind of façade in order to gain her trust; she didn't know _what_ they were planning. But seeing the one with the Pikachu facing off with the man and his Heracross made Nova feel a little reassured. From the looks of it, the Trainer's Pikachu seemed well trained and could possibly take down the Heracross with little trouble.

"Alright, Pikachu, use ThunderBolt!" the Trainer called.

Nova watched in fascination as the Pikachu got itself into position, before unleashing the signature attack. Heracross let out a pained cry as the attack hit. Unfortunately, the attack wasn't powerful enough to knock Heracross out. Whatever happened after that was just a blur...

...because not long after Pikachu landed the first hit Nova passed out.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **What do you guys think? I wanna say this is the longest chapter I've written for this story, so don't hesitate to give me any kind of constructive criticism where you think it's necessary!**

 **Do I own anything in the POKEMON franchise? No. No I do not.**

Awesomeness3013: _From the time Nova left the palace to where she is now, she hasn't slept. I suppose I didn't write that in enough or I just did a poor job at writing it in general, but Nova's sleep deprived. But I'm glad you're enjoying the story! Thank you for your review[s]._

WonderBabe: _Thank you so much for your reviews! I suppose this is like a 4th gen movie, in a way. In all honesty, I didn't even think of it that way. But I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. Hopefully I can hear from you again in future updates._

Ariel-Sarina-Jen: _Well, you were right about Ash and friends saving Nova! I think it could be a good way for Nova to trust them, but it'll probably take a while for that to happen. Hopefully I can hear from you again! I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so far._

Jojo: _For this story, the main villain is kind of something I'm still working out, I guess? I don't know, for me, it's usually whatever pops up in my head at the time I'm writing the chapter. I'm not sure if that makes sense at all, but I work with character development and everything as I'm writing the chapter I'm on, so once the story really starts picking up I'll hopefully have more of an idea on what the villain will be doing and what their intentions are._

 **Also, as a note for you guys, I have started my summer quarter at my community college so my schedule's a bit crazy right now. Not only that, but my hours at my job have increased so I will probably have some days where I'll be too busy to update. And I know it has been some time since I updated last, but I thought I'd let you guys know so you don't think I abandoned this story or anything.**

 **On another note, and then I'll wrap this up, how many of you have seen SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING? I am a huge fan of MARVEL movies _(I haven't really read the comics, so for those of you who prefer the comics to the movies, please don't get mad at me)_ so I was kind of excited. And the movie did turn out to be really good. The kid they've got playing SPIDER-MAN did a good job in the role. Anyway, I digress.**

 **Be kind to one another, don't text and drive, and appreciate yourself and others.**

 **Just tell me if there's something that's confusing and I'll clear it up the best I can.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	10. Chapter 10

_"And you said that I was done,_

 _Well you were wrong and now the best is yet to come,_

 _'Cause I can make it on my own,_

 _And I don't need you, I found a strength I've never known,_

 _I'll bring thunder, I'll bring rain; oh-oh,_

 _When I'm finished, they won't even know your name...,"_

-Praying; **by Kesha**

* * *

There was a heaviness that was weighing down on Nova's body, and no matter how badly she tried to move, she just couldn't. Not only that, but she was overwhelmed with a darkness she couldn't quite understand. What had happened? She remembered those Trainers from the Pokémon Center, and the Pikachu facing off with the man's Heracross, but everything afterward was a blur. Everything felt like a mess and Nova couldn't make heads or tails of anything.

She just wanted everything to make sense.

 **. . . .**

 _Just A Couple Hours Earlier_

The man's Heracross fainted, Pikachu's Iron Tail landing the final blow. Needless to say, the Long Horn Pokémon managed to put up quite a fight, which sent a shiver of frustration but excitement through Ash. He _loved_ when Trainers and their Pokémon could hold their own in a fight, though he had to remind himself that the man had been caught harassing the girl from the Pokémon Center. Behavior like that didn't land a spot on Ash's good side. In fact, that made Ash a tad angry. How could someone go around openly bothering someone? Sure, Team Rocket was known to cause plenty of trouble, but they weren't really _harming_ Ash or his friends. Well, they would try and cause harm to Pikachu and any other Pokémon they attempted to steal, but. . . .he was getting distracted.*

When the man's Heracross was no longer capable of battling, the Long Horn Pokémon was return to its Trainer, with the man grumbling under his breath. The man scurried off after throwing a heated glare Ash's way. But the man's expression and general behavior was not Ash's main focus. It was the fact that the girl from the Pokémon Center was unconscious on the ground. Ash vaguely remembered hearing Dawn's startled squeak and Brock's gasp, but Ash didn't think much of it. But seeing that girl on the ground, seeing her Pichu and Misdreavus looking equally as petrified as Ash, Dawn, and Brock felt in that moment, made it feel more real.

"What do we do?" Dawn exclaimed, holding Piplup closer to her. The Penguin Pokémon let out a surprised sound, looking at the unconscious girl with disbelief. Pikachu looked equally as concerned, even attempting to go to the girl's form before her Pichu and Misdreavus sent him back with the threatening looks they were throwing.

"We need to get her somewhere safe," Brock exclaimed. "And we need to hurry."

Ash and Brock shared a look, sharing some kind of silent conversation before nodding. With Brock going towards the girl's feet and Ash going towards where her head was, they worked on picking her up as easily and comfortably as possible, and hurried to find _somewhere_ that would let them in.

 ** _0-0-0-0_**

It took a lot of time and determination to find someone who was willing to allow Ash, Dawn, and Brock into their home. It wasn't easy at _all_. The houses or buildings they attempted to go into were either bolted shut or abandoned. No one was wanting them in. That made Ash frustrated, which made Pikachu get antsy, which got the girl's Pokémon nervous. After going a block and a half, they stopped in front of a small house; Dawn knocked frantically on the front door. After a minute of waiting, a young woman creaked the door open just a crack, looking at the Trainers anxiously.

"What do you want?" she murmured, sounding nervous.

"We need help," Dawn exclaimed. " _Please_!"

Opening the door wider, the woman looked at them for a moment before looking at the girl in Brock's and Ash's grip. Her eyes widened. Motioning them inside, she quickly shut the door and locked it. Turning, she watched as Ash and Brock set the girl down on a vacant sofa. The woman's Mothim was fluttering about, looking at the newcomers anxiously.

"What're you doing with the Princess?" the woman exclaimed. "Why'd you bring her here?"

"Wait — she's a _princess_?" Ash exclaimed.

The Pichu and Misdreavus that accompanied the Princess were huddled close to the unconscious girl, looking about as worried as they could be.

"Of _course_ she's a princess." Crossing her arms over her chest, she threw a dirty look Ash's way. "She's _Meridian's_ princess."

Ash, Dawn, Pikachu, Piplup, and Brock looked at the unconscious girl on the couch. Surprise filled them, they hadn't expected her to be so important. Brock didn't even have an opportunity to flirt with the woman before Ash and Dawn started interrogating her.

"What's happened here?" Dawn asked, her tone serious, leaving no room for arguing.

"Why're people after her?" Ash exclaimed. "She was being chased by this guy and he attacked us with his Heracross!"

"A Nurse Joy from a nearby Pokémon Center said there were uprisings going on," Brock stated. "What's the deal with those?"

"Hey!" The woman interrupted their seemingly never-ending questions. "How about you let me answer one at a time." The Trainers stopped their assault and allowed her the opportunity to gather her thoughts. "The uprisings started with a woman named Skye," she said.

"Who's Skye?" Ash asked.

The woman threw him another look. "Skye's part of the higher-class in Meridian," she sighed. "The richest of the rich. She always hated the way things were being run here, and she was looking for a way to put an end to it. She thought the ways of kings and queens were overrated. So, from what I understand, she started reading Meridian's ancient writings to see how she could eliminate the royal family."

"What!?" Dawn exclaimed.

"According to the writings, there was a time where Princess Merida used the ancient Pokémon Dialga and Palkia to stop a war from breaking out." The woman crossed her arms over her chest. "Due to Princess Merida's success at being able to bond with Dialga and Palkia, they bestowed to her two powerful stones — one to summon Dialga; one to summon Palkia. It's said that whoever holds those stones can have those ancient Pokémon do their bidding."

"What did Merida do with them?" Brock asked.

"She had them turned into a crown," the woman said, shrugging slightly. "She didn't see a reason to summon Dialga _or_ Palkia, but she wasn't going to have the people gain access to something so powerful. Merida believed the only people who could be trusted with such power was the royal family. Over Meridian's history, there've been countless attempts to overthrow the royal family and steal the crown. Once it's in their possession, they'll be able to summon and control two ancient Pokémon at once."

"Do you think that crown's in her bag?" Dawn asked, looking over at the still unconscious Princess.

"I wouldn't be surprised," the woman said. "With the way things are going now, I'd assume the King and Queen sent her away with the crown to keep her _and_ Meridian out of danger."

"But this Skye woman. . . .," Brock murmured. "Does she plan on using the crown to summon Dialga and Palkia?"

"She does. From what I know, she wants to destroy Meridian and have it rebuilt in her image." Clenching her hands into fists, the woman scowled. "I've heard plans she's going to take Sinnoh down with Meridian."

Dawn paled significantly. "Are you sure?" she said, her voice trembling.

"I'm positive," she responded. "I have a friend who's working for Skye. He's providing me information on what's going on." She let out a frustrated sigh. "We're hoping to gather enough information to hopefully stop Skye."

"We wanna help!" Ash announced. "No way is this Skye lady going to destroy an entire kingdom or region!"

"Wait, what's your name?" Dawn asked.

"I'm Alexis," she answered. "And that's my partner, Mothim."

 **. . . .**

 _Present Time_

After what felt like an eternity of struggling, Nova managed to open her eyes. It was difficult, since her eyelids felt like they were being weighed down. Letting out a soft groan, she moved her head a little. Everything looked a little blurry, and the more she blinked, the clearer everything became. She saw Pichu and Misdreavus looking at her anxiously, but their expressions lightening once they saw her awake.

"Hey, she's awake!" a girl exclaimed.

Before Nova even had a moment to regain proper thinking skills, she was surrounded by the kids from the Pokémon Center. They looked at her with bright expressions, and Nova felt an overwhelming sense of uncertainty and uneasiness fill her.

"What happened?" she groaned.

"You passed out," the girl with the Piplup exclaimed. "You're safe, though."

"Don't worry, we'll protect you!" the boy with the Pikachu announced. He sounded so confident, too.

"You just need to heal a bit first," the taller friend said solemnly. "You've been through a lot. I wouldn't doubt you passed out from exhaustion."

With a grimace, Nova tried scooting herself away from them, but her body felt too heavy. "Who are you people?" she murmured.

"I'm Ash, and this is my partner, Pikachu!"

"I'm Dawn! And this is Piplup."

"I'm Brock."

"And I'm Alexis," another voice said. "This is my partner, Mothim. You're in my home, so don't worry. You're safe."

Nova couldn't help but swallow thickly. Was she safe?

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **How'd you like this chapter? Was it good or bad? Constructive criticism is always welcome! Also, let me know if I get any of the canon characters wrong; it'd suck to know that I wasted this entire story getting Ash and his friends wrong.**

 **Nothing in the POKEMON universe belongs to me!**

 **If you've got ideas for subplots or OCs, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? That kind of stuff is important to me; I like knowing that readers can have their own ideas shared into my stories. So if you've got a subplot or an OC, you can leave a review or PM me.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I should improve on.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	11. Chapter 11

_"These people round here,_

 _Wear beaten-down eyes and sunk in smoke-dried faces,_

 _They're so resigned to what their fate is,_

 _But not us (no, never),_

 _No, not us (no, never),_

 _We are far too young and clever...,"_

-Come On Eileen; **by Dexy's Midnight Runners**

* * *

Nova looked at the three people in front of her for a long while. She couldn't determine what she thought of them; were they _really_ as nice as they were letting on? And who was that Alexis person? Was she any good? Nova could tell that the kids from the Pokémon Center were at least friendly looking, but she couldn't really understand how she felt just yet.

Pichu and Misdreavus were trying to put as much distance between Nova and the others, in their best attempt to keep her safe. While the two Pokémon weren't the most _intimidating_ looking Pokémon, they were pretty powerful in their own right. That was how Nova saw it at least.

Before having an opportunity to say anything, a young woman with deep brown hair and lively grey eyes came into Nova's view. She had a big smile on her face and a Mothim hovering just over her shoulder. "Do you need anything, Your Highness?" she asked, her voice gentle. "Are you thirsty? Hungry?"

Slowly sitting up, Nova let out a groan. Her body was still adjusting from after her unconscious spell, and she was still having difficulties moving. "Uh, do you have a shower?" she asked. "That'd be appreciated."

With a nod, the woman made her way through the kids from the Pokémon Center and helped Nova up. Pichu and Misdreavus did try to intervene, but they stopped once they saw the look on Nova's face. She wasn't entirely irritated with them, just a bit frustrated and tired. Nova was going to assume that the people keeping her company were at least _tolerable_ , that they were going to help her for however long they deemed necessary before Nova made her way to Expansion City.

"I've got some spare clothes," the woman rambled on, "they might be a bit big for you, but I think it should be just fine, don't you?"

"You're Alexis, right?" Nova asked, furrowing her brows. With a firm nod from the woman, Nova nodded in return. "Is this your home?"

Alexis' smile broadened a little. "It is," she said. "It's been in my family for generations. It's nothing special, mind you, but it's home."

"It's nice." Trying for a smile, Nova could only hope it was convincing. Alexis seemed like a good person, but she was still part of Era Town. Considering the hostility and odd behavior Nova received from the remaining inhabitants, she had to wonder just how authentic Alexis' attitude was towards her.

"I appreciate that, Your Highness," was the response. "I'll warm up the bathtub for you and get some clothes ready. Wait here."*

With Alexis and Mothim hurrying off to the other rooms in the home, Nova was left alone with the kids from the Pokémon Center. Unfortunately, her mind couldn't really remember their names; Alexis' name popped out mainly because she was able to focus on that for a moment longer after the introductions had been made. It did make Nova feel bad, not remembering the others'.

"I don't mean to be rude," she said softly, blinking a few times, "but what were your names again?"

The boy with the Pikachu spoke first, his tone loud and enthusiastic. "I'm Ash," he exclaimed. "This is my partner, Pikachu."

"I'm Dawn and this is Piplup." Nova's eyes went to the girl with the short dress. She had a cautious smile on her face, though she did make an effort to at least come off as friendly.

"And I'm Brock," came the taller boy of the group. Nova looked up at him, biting her bottom lip in uncertainty. They all seemed friendly enough, and Nova had to give them credit for being able to find her, assuming they did go out of their way to find her.

"It's nice to meet you," she responded, giving them all a single nod. "I, uh, don't think I had the chance to thank you three for saving me back there."

"Don't mention it," Ash said, a wide smile coming across his face. "That guy had nothing against Pikachu; right, buddy?" Pikachu let out an enthusiastic chirp before cuddling up against his Trainer.

"Are you guys new to Meridian?" Nova asked. "Or...I mean, I don't really visit Meridian's cities or towns very often; not until..."

"This is our first time here," Brock said, his tone gentle. "It's a beautiful region, that's for sure."

"Where're you all from?"

Ash: "I'm from Pallet Town!"

Dawn: "Twinleaf Town."

Brock: "Pewter City."

Nova's eyes widened. "I've heard of Pallet Town and Pewter City," she said. "That's in Kanto, right?" Brock and Ash nodded. "You guys traveled very far."

"I'm hoping to become a Pokémon Master," Ash exclaimed. "I'm traveling to every region possible to make that dream come true."

"Are you going to be a Pokémon Master, too?" Nova looked at Brock.

Shaking his head, a determined look came across Brock's face. "I'm going to be a Pokémon Breeder," he said. "I'm hoping to help as many Pokémon as I can."

With a hum, Nova felt a few walls come down. Brock and Ash seemed very enthusiastic about their dreams, and she had to admit it was a bit refreshing to hear it. Nova didn't really get to hear things like that in the palace. Usually, everyone already had their dreams and ambitions decided for them, or they were working jobs they may not particularly like. That was from Nova's understandings. Having overheard her father complain about the royal family's council members told Nova that the most trusted people in the Capital weren't overly fond of their jobs. So Nova had come to the conclusion that not everyone in the palace enjoyed their employment.

"Twinleaf Town is from Sinnoh, right?" Nova asked, looking at Dawn.

"That's right," Dawn confirmed. "I'm going to be Sinnoh's best Top Coordinator, just like my mother had been."

"Coordinator?" Nova blinked in confusion.

"Pokémon Contests," Dawn exclaimed. "It's amazing! Don't you have something like that here?"

Nova shook her head. "We don't really have Contests _or_ Gyms here. Usually, anyone who wants to be a Trainer or a... _Coordinator_ has to go outside the kingdom in order to do so." Nova chewed on her bottom lip for a minute. "I know someone whose daughter is a Trainer," she went on. "She traveled all the way to Hoenn to start her journey. Of course, her mother went with her, but after that..."

"That must be hard," Brock said, "having to travel to other regions to pursue something like that."

"I can only imagine," she said. "I'm not a Trainer or a Coordinator, so I can't really say how hard it is."

"How'd you get your Pichu and Misdreavus, then?" Ash asked.

"Pichu was given to me by my parents," Nova explained. "Misdreavus I found in the wild. I don't have any PokéBalls, so it's not like I was able to actually capture Misdreavus or anything. It's technically still a wild Pokémon."

There was a long silence. Ash and his friends looked at Nova closely; her eyes were looking between her Pokémon before casting downward. She looked saddened, and it was easy to see why. Neither of them mentioned knowing about Nova being the Princess, and even though Ash had a bit of a blabber mouth at the best of times, he knew when to bring things up and when not to. And seeing her look so upset made him feel upset. Ash Ketchum _hated_ seeing others in distress, it made him antsy, wanting to help them in any way possible.

"The bath's ready," Alexis announced, coming into the room with Mothim in tow. "I'll lead you to the bathroom."

 **. . . .**

Nova had to admit, the bath was nice. And as clichéd as it sounded, it seemed to wash away a lot of the problems she endured since evacuating the palace. The water was warm and the bubbles Alexis was kind enough to put in seemed to add more to the relaxation Nova felt. Nova knew she'd have to thank Alexis for her hospitality.

With a sigh, Nova rested her head on the wall behind her. Everything seemed a bit better since coming to Alexis' place; there were no signs of trouble, and Nova seemed to be opening up to Ash and his friends fairly well. They all seemed to be relatively nice, and she could only wish that they would remain as kindhearted as they seemed at the moment. It would definitely break her heart if she found out the people who gave her refuge were just trying to get to her in some way.

Frowning a bit, Nova closed her eyes. She tried to not overthink so much — it only seemed to make her even more stressed. If she could take the time to heal, then she'd be able to venture into Expansion City in hopes of finding Livia's daughter. From what Nova understood, Livia's daughter's trip to Hoenn had turned her into quite the Trainer. She had defeated every Hoenn Gym Leader, the Elite Four, and became the Champion of the Hoenn region. Not only that, but Nova understood that, for a time, Livia's daughter went off to the Battle Frontier to get stronger. Nova wasn't entirely sure what any of that meant, but she understood that Livia's daughter was certainly a strong Trainer to have overcome all of that.

 _But how can I find her in Expansion City? It's so big! It'll be nearly impossible._ It was true. In Expansion City, you'd have to know the very exact location of the one you're looking for to know where to find them. Nova didn't know what Livia's daughter looked like and had no idea where she lived in Expansion City. That alone caused Nova's stomach to knot up in frustration. Shaking her head, she tried clearing her thoughts. She couldn't afford to think like that, if she asked around, maybe she'd be able to find Livia's daughter. That had to count for something, right?

 **. . . .**

"You guys seemed to be doing fairly well with the Princess," Alexis commented.

"She seems really nice," Ash exclaimed, a smile on his face. "Still can't believe she's a princess, though."

"It's true," Dawn said. "She doesn't look or act like a princess at all."

"You've gotta keep in mind what she's probably been through." Alexis' face became solemn. "She's more than likely gone through things we can't even imagine."

"She's strong to have made it as far as she has," Brock said. "No doubt she's probably faced a lot."

With a sound of disapproval, Ash threw a fist in the air. "She won't have to do it alone!" he announced. "I want to help her! She shouldn't have to face this all by herself."

That was when Pichu and Misdreavus reminded the Trainers they weren't alone. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon and the Screech Pokémon threw looks the Trainers' way, reminding them in their own way that Nova wasn't going through her journey by herself.

"I don't think they really approve of what you said, Ash," Alexis said.

"For a wild Pokémon, Misdreavus really is protective of her," Dawn said. "They must have a really good bond."

The Ghost-type Pokémon hovered over the satchel Nova had, glancing at the Trainers with a heated look that only seemed to intensify with each passing minute. Not only that, but Pichu was also giving looks their way. Ash and the others had been told that Pichu had been given to Nova by her parents, so the two undoubtedly spent a lot of time together, probably becoming close friends. Ash could understand why they were so protective of her, they were trying to look out for her best interest.

"They're probably really strong," Ash concluded.

"Who knows?" Alexis suggested. "Maybe you could challenge her to a battle once she's recovered enough."

That didn't seem to be a bad idea whatsoever.

 **. . . .**

As badly as Nova wanted to stay in the bathtub in the nice, warm water, she knew she'd have to get out once the water became lukewarm. She took the time to wash her hair and get some of the tangles out, but with no brush or comb, she didn't really get all of the tangles out. After she dried off, Nova put the clothes Alexis offered her and actually took the time to look at them.* The shirt itself was oversized, ending mid-thigh on Nova. Beneath the shirt were a pair of shorts, which came down just below her knees.

 _She certainly didn't lie about the clothes being oversized,_ Nova thought, her nose scrunching up some. _But it's better than nothing, I suppose._

After tidying up the bathroom, Nova came out with her previous outfit bunched up in her arms. Closing the door behind her, Nova managed to find herself back in the room where everyone was gathered. Once her Pokémon saw her, they hurried over to her; Pichu climbed up onto Nova's shoulder while Misdreavus cuddled up to her face.

"I hope you guys were behaving," she chuckled.

"They're really protective of you, that's for sure," Alexis said, looking at them appreciatively.

"They've helped me out of a few situations," Nova commented, her gaze shifting downward.

"If you want, I can wash those," Alexis suggested.

Shaking her head, Nova let out a huff. "It's fine," she said. Walking over to her satchel, she opened it wide enough in hopes of shoving her dirty clothes inside; but she paused when she saw what was already inside. It was her crown. Her brows furrowed; why was her crown in the satchel? Had Livia put it in there to prevent it from being stolen? Would looters have used it to get profit or something? Nova couldn't understand why the only thing that would be in her satchel would be her crown. Sure, it was valuable, but was it really _that_ valuable?

"Is something wrong?" Brock asked.

Setting her jaw, Nova nodded. "Yeah, everything's fine," she said. Shoving her clothes in, she turned and looked back at the others. "I appreciate you letting me stay here, but I have to go."

Alexis' brows furrowed. "You can't be serious," she exclaimed.

"I am." Nova slung the satchel over her shoulder. "I can't stay in Era Town, not after what happened today."

"You're still recovering," Dawn exclaimed.

"If you go back out there," Brock added, "who knows what'll happen to you?"

"If I can just make it to Expansion City, then I should be safe."

Placing her hands on her hips, Alexis let out a huff. "You're not leaving here until you're better," she announced, a no-nonsense tone in her voice. "I don't care if you're the Princess or not, you're in no condition to be traveling."

"But..."

"You passed out back there," Ash put in. "No way are you going out there."

Seeing the looks on all of their faces, the stubbornness in their eyes, Nova felt her shoulders slump. She _had_ to get to Expansion City as soon as possible; and if they wouldn't let her leave immediately, maybe she could rest for a little while just to humor them.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait, guys! Hopefully you'll like this chapter; it's pretty long, compared to at least a good majority of the previous chapters. If you find something in here that you think could use some improvement, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? Constructive criticism is always welcome.**

 **I own absolutely nothing in this franchise; only my OCs and the subplots I put in.**

 **Considering this will be an Ash/OC story — and that OC happens to be Nova — how do you guys think any cute romances should go down in this story? This is probably the first time I've written a fic where the main characters are actually kids, so I'm hoping to keep any kind of affections between main characters at least appropriate for their age group. That's why I'm asking you guys to help. Ash, from what I understand, is pretty oblivious when it comes to anyone showing him any kind of affection that's not friendship based; so who do you think should get the feels first** **— Nova or Ash?**

 **Also, if I am getting any of the canon characters wrong, don't hesitate to let me know. I'd hate to find out later on down the road I got canon characters wrong and then I'd have to rewrite God knows how many chapters to get it right. So help a pal out, please?**

 **Last thing, should Team Rocket be in this story? I've thought about it, and I've kind of had trouble deciding. I'd love to have Team Rocket in the story, but I don't know if they'd draw too much attention away from everything or if they could possibly be good additions to the story. Leave a comment on what you think.**

 **Let me know if there's anything that confuses you.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan***


	12. Chapter 12

_"We all change, when you think about it. We're all different people all through our lives. And that's OK, that's good, you've got to keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be..."_

-11th Doctor; **from Doctor Who (2013)**

* * *

Being forced to stay in Era Town was possibly the worst feeling Nova could ever experience. She didn't want to stay there any longer than necessary, and the fact that Alexis, Ash, and his friends were being so adamant on her staying made her frustrated. Even Pichu and Misdreavus were looking a bit irritated at that. While Nova knew they had the best intentions, it just delayed Nova's plans. She _had_ to get to Expansion City, especially after the incident that occurred with the man and the Heracross. It didn't matter if Nova was lucky enough to run into Ash and his friends when she did, the idea that she had been openly attacked for a second time was a haunting experience. If she could at least manage to find Livia's daughter, then maybe things would be easier.

Having laid herself back down on the makeshift bed Alexis provided, Nova crossed her arms over her chest in frustration. She was still extremely exhausted, but she just couldn't will herself to sleep very much yet.

"I don't see you resting," Alexis pointed out.

"I'm laying down, that counts, right?" Nova muttered. A look came across Alexis' face. "You guys can't keep me here. Sooner or later I'll have to go."

"Not with people like that guy with the Heracross out there," Ash announced, a deep frown on his face.

"There'll be more people like that if I stay here." Nova's voice was strained, hoping they'd at least hear the desperation in her voice. For the most part, Nova made sure she had as much distance between herself and the Capital as possible. If she could at least keep herself going, trying to figure out a way to maneuver through all the chaos and confusion, then maybe she'd be able to figure out a way to end all the tension that was developing. There had to be some kind of way to stop all the madness. Nova couldn't be expected to just keep running and hiding forever.

 **. . . .**

"Do you remember why I started this group?" There was a moment of silence. Skye had called in her second in command, Isaac, to discuss the latest findings. The Princess had been found in Era Town, simply under the care of a small group of Trainers. Two of Skye's men had found it nearly impossible to capture the Princess and obtain the crown. That angered her. What good were her followers if they couldn't even get a simple task done?

Isaac looked at Skye for a moment before answering. "To move Meridian past the dark ages," he responded. "To have a clean slate to make something greater."

Skye nodded. "Once Meridian is out of the picture, I'll be able to create a new region," she said. "One without royalty, one where our true potential isn't being held back. But I don't think we should stop at Meridian. What do you think?"

"Meridian is a big region, ma'am," Isaac responded. "Wouldn't that be enough?"

With a simple eye roll, Skye looked at her second in command for a moment. "Meridian may be big, Isaac, but it won't be enough," she said. "I've had my eye on Sinnoh for a while. It's a decent sized region, and I've heard it's relatively beautiful. Not to mention it's close to Meridian, as well."

"You're suggesting the destruction of Sinnoh."

"Destruction is a harsh word, Isaac," Skye sighed. "It's rebuilding. I'll use Dialga and Palkia to take down the foundation of Sinnoh and Meridian, then I'll use them to begin a new order." Leaning back on the throne, Skye's mouth pursed. "If my men weren't so useless, I'd be able to have the Princess _and_ the crown," she muttered.

"I'm positive you'll have both in no time."

Skye's gaze went to Isaac for a moment before she let out a thoughtful hum. "What Pokémon do you have with you?" she asked.

Isaac's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Bronzong and Dragonair," he responded.

Nodding thoughtfully, Skye sighed. "I want you to put together a group to retrieve the Princess and the crown," she said. "Use the strongest Pokémon we've taken so far plus the strongest people we have here. Understood?"

With a single nod, Isaac murmured in agreement.

 **. . . .**

Nova laid on the makeshift bed Alexis had provided, her arms crossed over her chest. She was still exhausted, but she just couldn't make herself go to sleep yet. Her mind was spinning with all the possibilities on how she could leave. For the most part, Alexis and those Trainers were keeping a pretty close eye on her, which was making it a bit difficult for her to be comfortable. Nova may appreciate them for being so generous to her, but that didn't mean she wasn't a bit peeved that they wouldn't let her leave.

"You don't look like you're resting," Alexis pointed out, putting a glass of water beside Nova's bed. "Is something bothering you? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine." The answer was short, and she did feel a little guilty for sounding so ungrateful, but she couldn't help it. All Nova wanted was get to Expansion City, and she was under house arrest. After everything that happened earlier, Nova would've hoped that being able to leave would be an option, not being forced to stay.

 _They have a point, though,_ a voice in the back of Nova's head whispered. _They're looking out for your best interests. Once you're in better condition, you'll be able to make it to Expansion City._

Scowling slightly, Nova fidgeted on the makeshift bed, trying to get comfortable. Pichu and Misdreavus had grudgingly went to sleep, after Nova practically ordered them to. The two Pokémon looked absolutely terrible, and it broke Nova's heart knowing that they were like that because of her.

"This is probably the last thing you want right now," Alexis said, her Mothim fluttering above her shoulders, "but we want you healthy before you decide to leave."

"I don't want to stay in Era Town any longer than I have to."

A sympathetic look came across the other girl's face. "We're here to protect you," she said softly. "Your wellbeing is important, regardless of you being a princess. This is confusing, I can understand that much, but you can't just leave without being in good health. If you get attacked again and you pass out again, who's going to be there to help you?"

The argument made sense after some thought. Nova's desperation to leave seemed to cloud her judgment for the most part, and she just didn't want to understand anyone else's point of view. Sighing, Nova chewed on her bottom lip anxiously. "How much longer am I supposed to stay here?" she asked. "I'm trying to get to Expansion City to find someone, and if I don't get there soon. . . ."

"Don't worry," Alexis assured, "I know a short cut to Expansion City." She threw a smile Nova's way. "I can take you there once you're better."

"What about those Trainers?"

"What about them?"

"They seemed pretty concerned."

Chuckling softly, Alexis nodded. "I have a feeling Ash wouldn't let us leave without him and his friends," she responded. "He's a determined one, I'll tell you that much."

"Where are they, by the way?" Nova hadn't seen or heard from Ash or his friends in probably the past half hour, which was odd. Ash wasn't exactly quiet, from Nova's observations; unlike his other friends, who seemed a little more reserved at the best of times.

"They're in the kitchen." Alexis nodded in the other direction of the room. "Brock offered to make some lunch for everyone; apparently he can cook. Ash says Brock's the best cook he knows."

The thought of food made Nova's stomach rumble. Alexis chuckled at that. "I haven't really eaten anything in a while," she muttered sheepishly. "I never got the chance to really settle."

"That's why it's important you stay here. We can both figure out if Brock's really as good as Ash says." A hint of a smile came on Nova's face. "But really, try and rest. You've got time here and people who're willing to protect you. Not to mention your Pokémon seem pretty protective of you, too."

With a single nod, Nova tried for a smile. Alexis seemed to make it easy to get people comfortable. She was easy to talk to, Nova realized, and overall friendly. Maybe staying in her home wouldn't be such a bad thing.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait on this chapter, I had a nasty writer's block and nothing seemed to be helping me through it. This isn't my best chapter, as you can obviously tell. If you've got any constructive criticism, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? I'd love to hear what you guys have to say.**

 **Nothing in this fandom belongs to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I make.**

 **If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, PM me or leave a review. I'd add it in as soon as possible.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I should improve on.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


	13. Chapter 13

_"What is so worth saving? I see nothing but pain here. I see inside you. I see your guilt, your anger, confusion. In paradise, all is forgiven. You'll be at peace."_

-Castiel; **from Supernatural**

* * *

Since Nova was making no effort to get any sleep, Alexis decided it'd be best for the princess to join her and the others in the kitchen. Brock had already finished the final touches on the meal, plus Ash and Dawn had put out dishes and drinks for everyone. Nova had to admit, she was impressed. The three Trainers knew exactly what each other's jobs were, doing so without hesitation or question. At least, that was how Nova saw it.

Ash's Pikachu and Dawn's Piplup were excitedly running around the kitchen table, letting out happy and excited sounds at the meal's completion. Nova couldn't help but smile at that. If the Pokémon were getting that worked up over Brock's cooking, then it _had_ to be good.

"Smells great in here," Alexis chirped, a smile on her face. Mothim fluttered down to the kitchen table, seemingly just as excited as Pikachu and Piplup.

"Thanks," Brock said, a smile on his face. "I'll serve the Pokémon first, then I'll get to everyone else."

"You don't have to worry about us," Alexis said. "We'll be able to serve ourselves, right?"

"You got that right!" Ash cried, throwing a fist in the air. "I can't _wait_ to dig into this!"

"Calm down, will you?" Dawn said, placing her hands on her hips. "I swear, Ash, you get way too excited about things."

"I can't help it." The smile on his face made the corners of Nova's mouth twitch. "Brock's cooking is the best. He should open his own restaurant."

"It's appreciated," Alexis said, placing a hand on the taller boy's shoulder. The two shared a brief smile. "I'll get a plate ready for you, how does that sound?"

"Great, thank you," Brock responded.

 _They interact with each other so easily,_ Nova thought. _It's almost like they don't have a single care in the world. They're almost lucky, huh?_ The thought alone made Nova's stomach knot up. She wasn't sure if the sensation was out of jealousy or not, but it made Nova shake her head a little. She didn't want to be the one to rain down on their happiness. Nova admired the fact that Ash and his friends were so close. It was something Nova lacked growing up. Since her parents never let her leave the palace gates, she never really got to know other kids her age. Livia seemed to be the only human friend she ever had. Outside the palace gates, Nova got to witness the interactions of other people. She got to see how they worked together, and it made her wonder what would've happened if she had that kind of experience.

"Hey Princess, wanna sit next to me?" Ash exclaimed. His plate was filled with all the food Brock had prepared. It was almost alarming, seeing the food piled so high on Ash's plate.

"Oh. . . .uh, I-I. . . .," Nova stammered, wringing her hands in front of her nervously. "You don't have to call me _Princess_. My name's Nova. I don't know if I-I said that earlier."

"That's a really nice name," Alexis chimed in, adding some food onto a plate. "Why don't you sit down, I'll get to you, OK?"

With a nod, Nova sat down beside Ash. With a pleased sound, the young Trainer started digging into the pile of food he had on his plate.

"What's it like growing up here?" Dawn asked, sitting across from Nova. "It's a beautiful region, in my opinion."

"Growing up here's always been really nice," Nova responded quietly. "People and Pokémon get along very well. That's how Meridian functions so nicely."

"The relationships between people and Pokémon _are_ important," Brock added. "If we didn't have Pokémon, who knows how we'd be able to do _any_ thing?"

"I can't even _imagine_ a world without Pokémon," Ash shuddered.

"It's because of the relationship Princess Merida had with Palkia and Dialga that we were able to work so well with Pokémon." Nova shrugged shyly. "She inspired the kingdom to adapt to that way of life."

"This Merida woman seems important," Dawn hummed.

"She's the founder of Meridian." Nova glanced at Dawn for a moment, taking in the girl's curious expression. "Princess Merida's dedication to her people and to Pokémon was essential for our survival."

"It'd be an interesting subject to look into," Alexis said, placing a plate full of food in front of Nova. "Merida's contribution to the development of Meridian is something that's passed down to each generation. But it seems the royal family takes it more to heart."

"My parents admired the story, but they weren't as invested in it as my grandparents were."

"What're your parents like?" Brock asked. A simple question that led to a feeling of heartbreak in Nova. She knew that Brock's innocent curiosity wasn't to mean her any harm, but she felt the pain rip through her chest anyway. Her parents were still in the Capital, still being held captive be whoever started the riots. She wasn't supposed to be upset over the question, she wasn't supposed to feel hurt, but she did and she hoped that the others didn't see it.

"They're overprotective at best," Nova responded, hoping to keep her tone neutral. "I loved them, but they never really let me do anything the other kids in the Capital got to do."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked, his mouth full of food.

Crinkling her nose up a bit in disgust, Nova shook her head to regain herself. "I wasn't allowed to leave the palace gates," she said. "Even _inside_ the palace, my parents had to know where I was at all times. Pichu was given to me as a companion, but I felt as if we were both trapped. My parents tried so hard to keep me safe, but it didn't really matter, I guess."

"We'll get you to Expansion City," Alexis promised. "I told you that, right? Once you're all healed and ready to go, we'll be on our way."

 **. . . .**

Nova had to admit, Brock's cooking was as good as Ash made it out to be. If she were being completely honest with herself, Nova swore Brock's cooking surpassed the palace chefs. And the palace chefs were the best cooks in all of Meridian. After everyone had finished eating, Nova offered to help with the dishes, even though Alexis said she would be the one to help Brock out.

When it became just Nova and the taller boy, a feeling of uneasiness washed over the princess. Brock's presence was calming, but he was still an unfamiliar person in Nova's eyes. Despite all of that, however, the princess would still attempt to be friendly with him.

"Where'd you learn to cook like that?" she asked, looking up at him. The duo had decided that, in order to make the dishwashing task go by quicker, Brock would wash and Nova would dry.

"My parents had a tendency to leave a lot," he answered, an obvious tension in his voice. "Because of that, I was left in charge of my siblings, among other things. I cooked for them, made sure they did their homework, washed their clothes, and put them to bed each night. I _had_ to learn to cook for them."

Nova's brows shot up at that. "How many siblings do you have?" she asked.

"I have nine younger brothers and sisters."

That statement alone was enough to make Nova almost drop the plate she was holding. _Nine_ younger brothers and sisters? Nova almost felt relieved she was an only child! How Brock managed to do all of that without going crazy was something else entirely. Though she had to give him credit - having to be the older sibling _and_ the parent? It couldn't be an easy task. Not to mention Brock had to be _forced_ into stepping up to the parental plate with his parents gone.

"You probably had your hands full."

"All the time," he answered. "It was definitely hard having to take care of them all while still being a kid myself. But I got to see things in a new perspective, so that's one of the reasons I want to be a breeder. I get to take care of Pokémon, I get to understand them better."

Nova simply nodded. She had to admire Brock's dedication to the ones he cares about. She wasn't exactly like that, was she? Yeah, she was trying to figure out a way to save Meridian, but she wasn't entirely sure yet. She didn't know if she had the strength to. Feeling her shoulders slump, Nova felt the doubt inside her starting to rise. She had done what she was supposed to and left the Capital, she put as much distance between herself and her home as possible. What more could she do after that? With everything going on, she didn't have time to think up strategies to help her parents and Livia. The only thing that seemed to matter was finding Livia's daughter in Expansion City. Maybe. . . .Maybe Nova wasn't cut out to do anything. Maybe she should let the riots take over Meridian, should let everything she knows get destroyed. She's _just_ a princess. . . .

"Is something wrong?" Brock's voice snapped Nova out of herself. She looked up at him and saw he was looking at her worriedly.

 _Those big brother instincts, probably,_ she thought.

"My parents are still in the Capital," she sighed. "So's one of my friends. My _only_ human friend. I. . . .I want to get them out, but I don't know how. I can't really do much."

There was a moment of silence. Nova wasn't sure what Brock thought of her, and that made her anxious. Was he thinking she was weak? She did manage to pass out when she ran into them again. That made her feel even more doubtful. Brock's possible thoughts on her being weak made her feel even less about herself.

"Don't worry about your parents, OK?" His voice came off as gentle, and he put a hand on Nova's shoulder. The gesture itself brought a sense of calm over her, but there were still those doubtful feelings lingering in the back of her mind. "We'll save them and your friend. You've got us _and_ your Pokémon."

Looking up at him, Nova tried her best for a smile. Brock's kind gesture and supporting words did help her some, but it didn't help relieve all of the doubt. She had to get stronger if she was going to stop what was happening. She couldn't wallow in self-pity, but she'd allow it that one time. Just for a little bit. But Brock did have his head in the right place. They'd help save Nova's parents and Livia.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait on this chapter, but hopefully you guys like it! If there's anything in here that you think could use some improvements, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? I'm always a fan for constructive criticism.**

 **This fandom does not belong to me. All I own are my characters and the subplots I put in. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, PM me or leave a review.**

 **I know I'm a little late for the party, but has anyone actually watched that whole 'Pokémon I Choose You' movie? The only thing I know about it is that it focuses mostly on Ash. Which I guess is cool since pretty much all the other movies focused on Legendaries. Anywho, if anyone did watch it, how'd you like it?**

 **If I get any of the canon characters wrong in any way, don't hesitate to let me know. I'd hate to find out later on I wrote them wrong and then I'd have to go back and rewrite a bunch of stuff. So let me know!**

 **Let me know if there's anything I should improve on.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Kaia Milligan**


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